Girl riding triple-seat killed in accident

PUNE: A 16-year-old girl from here died and two of her college mates suffered minor injuries after they fell off a motorcycle at Nasrapur on the Pune-Satara highway on Friday.
The victim, Apoorva Malthankar (16), a resident of Sadashiv Peth and studying in std XI at Marathwada Mitra Mandal College of Commerce (MMCC), was travelling triple-seat with Pradnya Shelar and Sujit Dalvi (19) when the accident happened, the Rajgad police said on Saturday.
According to the police, Apoorva and eight other students went to Baneshwar on four motorcycles after college hours. The students visited the Baneshwar temple and a waterfall.
While returning home the same day, Apoorva and Pradnya sat on Sujit's motorcycle, the police said, adding that he was riding recklessly and suddenly applied the brakes to avoid a truck. "The motorcycle skidded and the trio fell near the Kumbharkhan lawns at Nasrapur village at 4.30 pm."
Apoorva received severe head injuries and vomited blood, the police said, adding that she was declared dead on arrival by doctors at a private hospital at Katraj.
Apoorva's father, Keshav Malthankar, told TOI at the hospital that the students had organised the trip without seeking permission from the college. "Apoorva did not inform us either," he said.
Malthankar, who works in a jewellery shop, said, "My daughter was a budding poetess, studious and had plans to pursue a career in interior designing."
Malthankar said parents should strictly monitor the activities of their college-going children to avoid such incidents.
Apoorva's elder brother, Akshay, said, "My sister had plans to get higher education abroad after obtaining a degree in commerce. She had also won prizes in poem writing at school and college levels. My mother suffered a mild heart attack soon after hearing about Apoorva's death".
The girl's last rites were performed at the Vaikunth crematorium at 11 am on Saturday.
Investigating officer Ramesh Dhokle of the Rajgadh police station said Sujit was arrested for reckless driving under sections 304 (a), 279, 337 and 427 of the Indian Penal Code and 184, 128 and 177 of the Motor Vehicle Act. A magisterial court in Pune on Saturday released him on bail.