Mumbai, Feb 10 : International pistol shooter Sambhaji Patil, 27, a gold medallist at the 2016 Junior World Cup, tragically lost his life on Monday when the car he was traveling in collided with a truck on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad Highway in Palghar district, Maharashtra.
The accident occurred around 10 AM while Patil was en route to Gujarat for shooting practice in a Toyota Fortuner driven by his friend and fellow shooter, Yash Choudhary. Patil was seated in the front passenger seat when the vehicle, reportedly speeding, attempted to overtake a truck and rammed into it from the left side.
A Manor police official said the collision caused severe damage to the car, and Patil sustained fatal injuries. He was rushed to a hospital, where he was declared dead on arrival. Choudhary sustained injuries in the crash and was treated at the scene.
Patil, a resident of Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar, had an illustrious shooting career. He won gold in the 25-metre standard pistol event at the 2016 Junior World Cup in Azerbaijan and ranked 23rd in the same category at the 2017 World Championship. He trained under ace shooter Jaspal Rana, who also served as his national coach.
Apart from his international achievements, Patil worked as a Sports Officer at Pune’s Balewadi Sports Complex. His family arrived at the hospital in the evening, and his last rites are scheduled in Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar.
The Manor police have registered a case of accidental death.