Ex-SUK Pro-VC, 2 others killed in road crash in Kolhapur

Kolhapur (Maharashtra): A retired Pro Vice-Chancellor of Shivaji University Kolhapur, Vasant M. Chavan, was among three persons killed in a ghastly road accident of multiple vehicles at a prominent traffic junction here, here on Monday, officials said.

The crash took place when a speeding car, reportedly driven by Chavan, rammed into at least three motorcycles at the Cyber Chowk at around 2.30 p.m. on Monday.

Officials suspect that Chavan (72) was probably unwell and may have lost control of the speeding car arriving from the Rajarampuri Road, crashing into the two motorcycles at the busy junction.

Eyewitnesses and CCTV footage showed the other two victims being flung several metres in the air before falling to their deaths, officials said.

The impact of the collision was so severe that even Chavan was killed in his vehicle as it sped and rammed into another stationery vehicle – just two days after his 72nd birthday last Saturday.

At least three-four persons were also injured in the accident, while several vehicles were damaged, a couple of traffic barricades were knocked, and a traffic signal was partly damaged.

The injured were rushed to the nearby C.T. Hospital and C.P.R. Hospital where their condition was described as 'serious’. Further details are awaited.

The Cyber Chowk is one of the prominent thoroughfares in Kolhapur with the Shivaji University Kolhapur on one side, the Rajaram College on another side, besides several other schools and other private educational institutions in the vicinity.

Chavan had been associated with the IIM-Ahmedabad, served as a former college principal, besides serving as the former Director of Bharatiya Vidyapeeth’s institutions in Kolhapur and Delhi.

He was the Pro-VC of SUK from April 2001 to March 2004.