Mumbai: Four people, including a two-year-old child killed and eight others suffered injuries when their van crowded crashed into a container on the National Highway Mumbai-Ahmedabad in the Manor in the Palghar district on Sunday night.
The victims, Dandi residents in Tarapur, returned home after visiting the famous Ekvira Dewi temple in Virar.
Among those injured were two children aged two and three.
The five-seat Eeco van had gone to the temple on Sunday morning afternoon.
The van has nine adults, including the driver and three minors.
They belong to the fishing community.
Eyewitnesses told police Manor that the driver of the Van Rakesh Tamore (42) lost control of the vehicle when they reached the village of Avandani near Dahanu.
The vehicle fell to the back end of an unknown multi-axle container in Gujarat Lane at around 6pm, said Pi Pradeep Kasbe.
Tamore, Hemant Tare (60), his daughter Sushma Aarekar (32) and Sarvajna grandchildren Arkar (2), sat in the front seat to die in place.
While the driver of the container drove from the place, the locals hurriedly helped the victims.
The front side of the van was severely destroyed.
Those who sit in the back seat are pulled out by the locals.
Four of them were said to be serious, Kasbe said.
They were treated at a global hospital in Manor.
Ramesh Arkar (2) and Jayesh Tautore (3) suffered a minor injury because they sat on the lap of adults in the back seat, eyewitness had told the police.
Cases of accidental death have been registered.
The police said that the initial investigation showed that the driver of Van Tamore was guilty.
Search has been launched for the container driver to record the statement.
FIR will be listed under the IPC and ACT motor vehicle section, the police said.
The van belongs to Tamore.
Residents have planned to visit the temple since the last few weeks.