Retired cop & wife killed as truck hits their scooter

Pune: A retired assistant sub-inspector and his wife died on the spot after a truck hit their scooter at Kesnand Phata in Wagholi on the Pune-Ahmednagar highway at 12 noon on Wednesday.The deceased have been identified as Ashok Martand Kale (74) and his wife Varsha (63). The Loni Kand police later detained the truck driver on charge of rash and negligent driving, and have impounded the vehicle. “The couple was going to their farmland at Rahu village on their scooter from their home in Kasba Peth,” senior inspector Gajanan Pawar told TOI. “Kale was driving the scooter and had stopped close to the truck at a traffic signal on the Kesnand Phata junction. Kale wanted to turn right (towards Kesnand), while the truck was heading straight towards Ahmednagar. When the signal turned green, Kale tried to drive across the truck, but the heavy vehicle gained speed at the same time. This is when the truck hit the two-wheeler and dragged it for around 20m before halting,” he added.The police are also not ruling out the likelihood of the driver failing to spot the scooter after accelerating at the signal. “We have initiated the process for registering a case against him.” Pawar said.“Kale worked with the city police and was posted at various police stations. The victims died on the spot due to injuries to their head, shoulders and back. The bodies were handed over to the family in the evening for last rites,” the officer added.
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