Pune: Three members of a family, including two minor cousins and their grandmother, were killed after a truck knocked them down while they were returning home after attending a kirtan programme in their village in Shirur taluka. The boy’s mother, who was accompanying them, sustained severe injuries in the accident.The accident happened around 11 pm on Thursday at Amble village in Shirur taluka, about 80 km from Pune. The accident spot was barely 100 metres from the victims’ home.Shirur police identified the deceased as Kaushalya Zende (61), Soham Rajiv Zende (13) and Arushi Dattatreya Zende (11). Soham’s mother, Jyoti (42), is undergoing treatment at a nearby hospital.Shirur police sub-inspector S S Shelke said a kirtan programme had been organised in Amble village. On Thursday night, Soham, his mother, cousin and grandmother had gone to attend the programme. “After the programme, the family was walking home along the Kedgaon-Shirur road. Around 11 pm, when they were barely 100 metres from their house, a speeding truck heading towards Shirur knocked them down,” Shelke said.He said all four were flung into the air by the impact. Soham and Arushi died on the spot due to severe head injuries. The two women were rushed to a nearby hospital, where Kaushalya succumbed to her injuries during treatment.The truck driver fled without stopping. “We have recovered CCTV footage and will soon trace the vehicle involved in the accident,” Shelke said.
