Aundh accident: Car driver booked, residents outraged

Pune: Residents of Aundh were baffled after the police on Sunday suo motu registered a case of causing death by negligence against a woman, who was driving the car that ran over an elderly man who lost balance on an uneven patch while riding his scooter on Nagras Road. The man, 73-year-old Jagannath Kale, lost his life in the incident that occurred on July 30.

The accident was captured on CCTV camera and the footage was widely circulated on social media. The police registered the FIR against the driver of the car. Their rationale is that the woman’s car was not far enough from Kale’s two-wheeler. “The woman did not maintain a safe distance, which is mandatory, and due to this, the fatal accident took place,” senior inspector Uttam Bhajnawale of the Chatushrungi police told said.

However, the CCTV footage clearly shows that the car was moving at a moderate speed and nearly parallel to Kale’s vehicle. The police conceded this point, with a senior officer saying, “We will take this factor into account during our probe.”

Pune police commissioner Amitesh Kumar said, “I have sought more details from the police station and further corrective action, if required, will be taken.”

Residents, meanwhile, criticised the police for not charging the Pune Municipal Corporation, which they believe is responsible for the accident — they say Kale’s scooter skidded because of a gap between the road and the pavement. Arjun Kanhurkar, a resident, said PMC must be charged with culpable homicide. “Booking the woman for no fault of her is extremely wrong,” he said.

Anil Amireddy, another resident, said that from the video footage, it is clear that the two-wheeler was not directly in front of the four-wheeler but in the left lane slightly ahead of her. “So the theory of safe distance doesn’t apply here. He fell towards his right, due to which he came under the car’s wheels. PMC is 100% responsible,” said Amireddy.

The police had initially registered case of accidental death. However, a police constable, Santoshkumar Chavan of the Chatushrungi police, lodged a complaint against the woman, alleging that she was neglectful of the safety of other road users and drove her car in a rash and negligent manner.

“The woman was taking her children home from school and should have maintained a safe distance to avert any sort of collision,” senior inspector Bhajnawale said.” We will serve a notice to the woman to cooperate in the investigation.

Two years ago, Sachin Bendre’s wife met with an accident because of the uneven surface the road at a roundabout near Jupiter Hospital. She was riding with her child towards the hospital when she skidded. “Thankfully, there was no vehicle coming from behind her. PMC must be held responsible for civic neglect, as even in this case, anyone could have skidded due to the gap between the road and the pavement,” said Bendre, a resident. He said he approached PMC multiple times to make the entire stretch between Bhale Chowk, Medipoint and Babasaheb Ambedkar Chowk a one way for smooth-moving traffic.

According to Arjun Kanhurkar, another resident, a case of culpable homicide must be registered against the PMC. “Police booking the woman for no fault of her is extremely wrong. If she was speeding or if she didn’t stop after hitting, I can understand. But we know she wasn’t at fault. Nobody can apply the brakes that fast if someone falls in front of you in seconds,” said Kanhurkar.