Six members of a family from Isbavi area of temple town of Pandharpur in Solapur district were among the eight persons who died in Sunday’s accident after a pick up van carrying pilgrims plunged into an unprotected well.

Among the victims were Indubai Dashrath Bawache (60); her daughter-in-laws Pooja Balaji Bawache (27) and Ashwini Sandip Bawache (27); Ashwini’s two children Sanskar Sandip Bawache (14) and Sanskruti Sandip Bawache (13); and Pooja’s six-month-old son Samarth Balaji Bawache.

Indubai’s two sons, Balaji and Sandip, were also in the same vehicle which met with the accident. According to eyewitnesses and villagers, Balaji and Sandip were the first ones who swam to safety. ”But they looked dazed not in a condition to speak,” said Irfan Mujawar, a local villager. The two were taken to the hospital.

Balaji and Sandip were sitting close to the driver in his cabin. “It seems that after the mishap, the front glass panes of the vehicle were smashed and the three of them fell out of the vehicle. Two of them swam to safety but we rescued the driver,” said Mujawar.

Besides two sons, the Bawache family is now left with two other members who are kids of Pooja Bawache, who are less than 10 years old.

The entire group of 15 relatives had left by the pick up van which was being driven by Ashwni’s Bawache’s brother.

“They must have left around 8 am. They had gone to Siddhanath temple in Mhaswad which was about one and half hour’s drive from Pandharpur. From there they went to a nearby temple as well. I think they must have started their return journey around 3 pm,” said Dhananjay Dethe, a close relative who was among a handful of relatives present at their bungalow in Isbavi area on Monday afternoon.

Dethe said the two sons of Indubai are too shocked to say anything. “Yesterday, it was difficult to control them during the funeral,” he said.

The condition of the driver is similar. “He is the brother of Ashwini Bawache. He is the vehicle owner,” he said.
Dethe said the family used to live in a chawl like place before they moved into their new bungalow three years back. “The family had come up the hard away. They lived in a small rooms in a chawl. But three years back, they moved to the bunglow in Isbavi area,” he said.

A photo of the relatives taken at Siddhanath temple has surfaced on social media. “In the photo that has gone viral, the look a happy bunch. They seemed to have had the darshan after which they took the group photo,” said Dethe.

The family had been going to Siddhanath temple every year. “It is our village diety and therefore our relatives all gather together once and year and go to the temple for darshan,” he said.

In grief, the relatives said they expect the government will take action regarding the open well. “An open well that too close to a highway is a threat to the life of the travellers. It should be protected and guarded. But it wasn’t, and has led to loss of innocent lives. The government should immediately take steps to protect all the wells not only in Solapur but also in the state,” Dethe said.

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said the state government will provide financial assistance of Rs 5 lakh to the kin of the deceased.