International Shooter Sambhaji Patil Dies In Car Crash On Mumbai-Ahmedabad Highway

International pistol shooter Sambhaji Patil was killed in a road accident on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad National Highway in Palghar, Maharashtra.

The 27-year-old athlete, a gold medallist at the 2016 Junior World Cup, was travelling to Gujarat for shooting practice when the crash took place.

According to news agency ANI, Patil died on the spot after the SUV he was travelling in hit a heavy vehicle near Manor.

The agency reported that the SUV rammed into a truck, with the impact destroying the vehicle.

Patil’s companion, Yash Prashant Choudhary, 22, was seriously injured in the accident.

News agency PTI quoted an official as saying that the incident occurred around 10 am while Patil was in a car driven by Choudhary, who is also a shooter, and that the two

were on their way from Pune to Gujarat for practice.

Patil, a resident of Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, was seated next to the driver at the time.

“The car, which was speeding, rammed into a truck from the left side while attempting to overtake it,” the official told PTI, adding that Patil suffered serious injuries in the collision.

He was taken to a hospital, where doctors declared him dead on arrival, the official said, while Choudhary was injured in the incident.

Patil’s family members reached the hospital later in the evening, and his last rites will be performed in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar.

A case of accidental death was registered at Manor police station in Palghar.

Patil had won a gold medal in the 25-metre standard pistol category at the junior world cup held in Azerbaijan in 2016, and had secured 23rd place at the world championship in the same event in 2017.

According to information on the website of the International Shooting Sports Federation, Patil had been trained by ace shooter Jaspal Rana, who served as his national coach.

Authorities said investigations into the accident were continuing.