At least seven people were killed and 18 injured on Friday (October 2, 2026) morning after a truck collided with a van carrying devotees on the Samruddhi Expressway near Dhamangaon railway station in Amravati district.

The devotees were travelling from Shegaon in Buldhana district to Wardha with an idol of Goddess Durga. According to the police, two more people are reported to be in critical condition. The devotees were members of a Durga Puja committee who were bringing the idol for installation in Wardha ahead of the Navratri festival.

“As per preliminary information, the truck rammed into the Bolero from behind, throwing several commuters onto the road. Five people died on the spot,” an Amravati police official said. An investigation is underway.

The injured were taken to the Dhamangaon Rural Hospital.

The accident on the Hindu Hrudaysamrat Balasaheb Thackeray Maharashtra Samruddhi Mahamarg has once again raised concerns over road safety, as the expressway has witnessed several major accidents since its inauguration.