Local residents were involved in rescue operations along with police and fire personnel. (Special Arrangement)Six members of a family from Isbavi area of temple town of Pandharpur in Solapur district were among the eight persons who died in Sunday’s accident after a pick up van carrying pilgrims plunged into an unprotected well.Among the victims were Indubai Dashrath Bawache (60); her daughter-in-laws Pooja Balaji Bawache (27) and Ashwini Sandip Bawache (27); Ashwini’s two children Sanskar Sandip Bawache (14) and Sanskruti Sandip Bawache (13); and Pooja’s six-month-old son Samarth Balaji Bawache.Indubai’s two sons, Balaji and Sandip, were also in the same vehicle which met with the accident. According to eyewitnesses and villagers, Balaji and Sandip were the first ones who swam to safety. ”But they looked dazed not in a condition to speak,” said Irfan Mujawar, a local villager. The two were taken to the hospital.Balaji and Sandip were sitting close to the driver in his cabin. “It seems that after the mishap, the front glass panes of the vehicle were smashed and the three of them fell out of the vehicle. Two of them swam to safety but we rescued the driver,” said Mujawar.Besides two sons, the Bawache family is now left with two other members who are kids of Pooja Bawache, who are less than 10 years old.The entire group of 15 relatives had left by the pick up van which was being driven by Ashwni’s Bawache’s brother.“They must have left around 8 am. They had gone to Siddhanath temple in Mhaswad which was about one and half hour’s drive from Pandharpur. From there they went to a nearby temple as well. I think they must have started their return journey around 3 pm,” said Dhananjay Dethe, a close relative who was among a handful of relatives present at their bungalow in Isbavi area on Monday afternoon.Story continues below this adDethe said the two sons of Indubai are too shocked to say anything. “Yesterday, it was difficult to control them during the funeral,” he said.The condition of the driver is similar. “He is the brother of Ashwini Bawache. He is the vehicle owner,” he said.Dethe said the family used to live in a chawl like place before they moved into their new bungalow three years back. “The family had come up the hard away. They lived in a small rooms in a chawl. But three years back, they moved to the bunglow in Isbavi area,” he said.A photo of the relatives taken at Siddhanath temple has surfaced on social media. “In the photo that has gone viral, the look a happy bunch. They seemed to have had the darshan after which they took the group photo,” said Dethe.The family had been going to Siddhanath temple every year. “It is our village diety and therefore our relatives all gather together once and year and go to the temple for darshan,” he said.Story continues below this adIn grief, the relatives said they expect the government will take action regarding the open well. “An open well that too close to a highway is a threat to the life of the travellers. It should be protected and guarded. But it wasn’t, and has led to loss of innocent lives. The government should immediately take steps to protect all the wells not only in Solapur but also in the state,” Dethe said.Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said the state government will provide financial assistance of Rs 5 lakh to the kin of the deceased.Manoj Dattatrye More is a Senior Editor at The Indian Express, having been with the publication since 1992. Based in Pune, he is a veteran journalist with a 33-year career that spans editorial desk work, investigative reporting, and political analysis. Professional Legacy Experience: He spent his first 16 years on the editorial desk before moving into active field reporting. He has written over 20,000 stories, including more than 10,000 bylined articles. Impact Journalism: He is widely respected for "campaign-style" reporting that leads to tangible social change. Road Safety: His decade-long campaign regarding the dangerous state of the Pune-Mumbai highway in Khadki resulted in a ₹23 crore reconstruction project in 2006, which dramatically reduced fatalities. Environmental Protection: His reports against tree cutting on the Pune-Mumbai and Pune-Nashik highways saved approximately 2,000 trees. Anti-Corruption: During the COVID-19 pandemic, he exposed a scam where doctors were being asked to pay bribes for government jobs, resulting in them being hired without payment. Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) Manoj More's recent work focuses heavily on the shifting political landscape of Maharashtra and civic governance in the Pimpri-Chinchwad area: 1. Political Shifts & Alliances "Ajit Pawar's NCP continues domination in Pune, wins 10 of 17 local bodies" (Dec 21, 2025): A major report on the local self-government election results, detailing the NCP’s stronghold in Baramati, Indapur, and Lonavala. "BJP ropes in 13 ex-corporators, deals major blow to NCP" (Dec 20, 2025): Reporting on a significant political defection in Pimpri-Chinchwad as the BJP gears up for civic polls. "Congress opts for solo BMC run as alliance talks with Sena (UBT) collapse" (Dec 17, 2025): Covering the breakdown of Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) talks for the Mumbai civic elections. "NCP(SP)'s Rahul Kalate, Sena (UBT) leader Sanjog Waghere set to join BJP" (Dec 19, 2025): Detailing high-profile party-hopping ahead of the municipal elections. 2. Civic & Administrative Accountability "PCMC draws ire for issuing tenders worth Rs 250 crore just before poll code" (Dec 17, 2025): An investigative piece on the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation’s last-minute spending spree before election restrictions. "93 killed in 76 accidents in five years: Bypass service roads in Pune remain undeveloped for 18 yrs" (Nov 16, 2025): A critical look at the long-delayed infrastructure projects contributing to fatalities on Pune’s bypass roads. 3. Social & Labor Issues "As state says TCS has laid off 376 employees: FITE flags figures, say nearly 2,500 were forced to quit" (Dec 11, 2025): Investigating conflicting reports regarding IT sector layoffs in Maharashtra. "Maharashtra govt move to 'downgrade' Aadhaar cards" (Nov 30, 2025): Reporting on the state’s decision to require additional documents alongside Aadhaar to combat identity misuse. Signature Beat Manoj More is the definitive voice on Pimpri-Chinchwad, an industrial hub he has covered for three decades. His reporting is characterized by its aggressive stance against local "gondaism" (thuggery) and a relentless focus on civic infrastructure—choked drains, garbage management, and public transport. X (Twitter): @manojmore91982 ... Read MoreClick here to join Express Pune WhatsApp channel and get a curated list of our storiesTags:Solapur