Stone Pelting, Robbery on Samruddhi Expressway: Is Maharashtra’s Safest Highway Now a Cause for Concern?

Stone Pelting, Robbery on Samruddhi Expressway: Is Maharashtra’s Safest Highway Now a Cause for Concern?
Incidents of stone-pelting and robbery on the Samruddhi Mahamarg (Expressway) have raised serious concerns about traveller safety. Several social media users have posted videos and claims that a group is actively targeting vehicles on the highway, especially on the stretch between Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar and Nagpur.
समृद्धी महामार्गावर संभाजीनगर हून नागपूरला जाताना बोगद्याचा आसपास वाहनांवर दगडफेक करून लुटालूट करणे सुरू आहे
— Pratik S Patil (@Liberal_India1) June 15, 2025
या महामार्गावर ना कुणी पोलिस असतो ना कोणताही इमर्जन्सी सेवा
असले प्रकार यूपी, बिहार मध्ये ऐकत होतो आता आपल्या राज्यात घडताय
भयंकर प्रकार आहे pic.twitter.com/07VbqfE2fu
On social media platform X, a user named Pratik Patil shared videos and said that vehicles moving from Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar to Nagpur are being attacked near Bhokardan. In his post, he claimed that people are throwing stones at moving vehicles and stopping them to steal money and other items. Patil also said that there is no quick help from police on this expressway.
Additionally, he posted three videos on social media, claiming that vehicles are being targeted and looted. He urged authorities to take the matter seriously. Several other users also tagged officials in the post, demanding immediate action. According to the latest update from Loksatta, the police have registered a case and started an investigation.
This news has come only days after a doctor from Palghar was robbed on the same highway. On May 2, Dr Shravan Shingane was returning home with his family from Buldhana. A gang of four unknown men attacked their car. The robbers stopped the vehicle, got out, and started hitting Dr Shingane. They threatened his family and took away the car keys. Dr Shingane’s wife Chaitali asked the men to stop hurting her husband. She told them that they would hand over all their belongings if they stopped the violence.
Dr Shingane later told Mid-Day that his family is still struggling to recover from the attack. He said it was a very difficult experience for them and they are not feeling safe even now.
The Samruddhi Mahamarg is a 701-kilometre highway that connects Mumbai and Nagpur. It has helped drivers save time on long trips between the two cities. But now, many are saying that parts of the highway are still under construction and that there are not enough police patrols. Because of this, the road has become unsafe in some areas.