Speeding Techie Ploughs Car Into Bavdhan Nira Stall; 29-Year-Old Pedestrian Killed
A routine Saturday afternoon turned into a scene of carnage in Pune’s Bavdhan area as an out-of-control vehicle decimated a roadside stall, claiming the life of a young professional on the spot.
PUNE – A 29-year-old air conditioner mechanic was killed and two others were injured after a speeding car, driven by a software engineer, lost control and rammed into a roadside nira (palm nectar) stall on the Katraj-Dehu Road bypass in Bavdhan on Saturday afternoon.
The deceased has been identified as Zahiruddin Kamaluddin Khan, a resident of Kondhwa who hailed from Balrampur, Uttar Pradesh. Khan was reportedly standing near the stall when the high-speed impact occurred.
Horrific Impact Near HEMRL Bavdhan
The accident took place around 3:00 PM near the High Energy Materials Research Laboratory (HEMRL), where the service road merges with the Dehu Road corridor of the bypass. According to the Bavdhan police, the driver, a 40-year-old software professional residing in the same locality, was speeding on the service road.
“The driver lost control of the wheel at a critical junction. Instead of navigating the turn toward the bypass, the vehicle maintained its high velocity and headed straight for the stall,” stated Police Sub-Inspector Sarang Thakare.
Casualties and Injuries
The force of the collision was so intense that the nira stall was completely toppled.
- Zahiruddin Khan (29): Standing a few meters away from the stall, he was mowed down by the vehicle and died instantly due to the impact.
- Maya Bhandari: The stall owner, who was inside at the time, sustained serious injuries to her legs.
- The Driver: The 40-year-old techie suffered head injuries and is currently undergoing treatment at a nearby private hospital.
Legal Action and Charges
The Bavdhan police have officially booked the software engineer under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). The charges include:
- Section 106: Causing death by negligence.
- Section 281: Rash driving or riding on a public way.
- Relevant sections of the Motor Vehicles Act.
The police are currently awaiting medical reports to determine if the driver was under the influence at the time of the crash, though speeding is currently cited as the primary cause of the tragedy.
Rising Concerns Over Bypass Speeding
This fatal Pune road accident has once again sparked outrage among local residents regarding the lack of speed-calming measures on the service roads connecting to the Katraj-Dehu Road bypass. Witnesses at the scene claimed that vehicles often treat the service lanes as extensions of the highway, posing a lethal risk to pedestrians and roadside vendors.
