PUNE/MUMBAI, April 4 -- A pre-dawn accident on Friday unravelled into a mystery for police after a car carrying a Thane family plunged off a bridge into the Nira canal, about 230km from Mumbai, leaving two members dead, a woman missing, and her estranged husband, allegedly sleep-deprived at the wheel, as the lone survivor now under scrutiny for possible foul play. The incident occurred around 5am as the family was travelling from Mumbai towards Phondshiras in Solapur. The vehicle, an Ertiga, veered off a bridge along the Palki Mahamarg and plunged into the canal, trapping the occupants inside. The deceased have been identified as Hanumant Laxman Jathar, 58, and Manjula Hanumant Jathar, 48. The search is on for their daughter, Priti Sunil Tilekar, 30, who is feared to have been swept away by strong currents. All three were residents of Dahisar Mori in Thane district. Priti's husband, Sunil Tilekar, 33, a Kalamboli resident who was driving the car, survived. According to police, he managed to escape the submerged vehicle and swim to the bank, later alerting locals and authorities. Police said the car remained afloat for a few minutes after falling into the canal. In that brief window, Sunil allegedly tried calling relatives for help. Both he and Priti managed to get out of the vehicle, but while he reached safety, she was swept away in strong currents. Her parents, unable to escape, drowned inside the car. Emergency teams rushed to the spot and retrieved the vehicle from about 100 metres away. Two bodies were recovered and sent for post-mortem, while a search operation continues for Priti. Santosh Walake, sub-divisional police officer, Akluj, said, "The sleep-deprived driver appears to have lost control, causing the car to plunge into the canal. We have recovered two bodies and the vehicle. The search for the missing woman is underway." Vishal Vaykar, assistant police inspector at Natepute police station, said an accidental death report (ADR) has been registered. "We are investigating all angles and will take necessary legal steps based on our findings," he added. However, the case has taken a dramatic turn with revelations about the couple's strained relationship. According to police sources, Priti and Sunil were living separately and had a divorce hearing scheduled for April 8. A senior police officer, requesting anonymity, said, "Prima facie, there were disputes between the couple. Given the circumstances, we are not ruling out any angle, including foul play." The family had set out on their journey at 11pm on Thursday. Priti's brother, Sushant Jathar, recounted the last conversation he had with them. "At 12:17am, I spoke to my parents. They said they had reached Khopoli. I had asked them to stay the night at my place. Around 6:30am, a neighbour called to inform me that my brother-in-law's car had fallen into the canal," he said. He added that the family was headed to Panchgani to inquire about hostel admissions for their children....