Mentally unstable youngster drives ST bus, kills pedestrian in Pune

A pedestrian was killed when a state transport (ST) bus, driven by a mentally unstable man Gajanand Kachurji Wankhede, 23, went out of control and rammed into a car and a motorcycle. The incident happened at Narayangaon ST depot in Junnar taluka, 50 km from Pune, on Monday.

The deceased was identified as Sudam Mahadu Gujar, 23, of Gavari Mala in Narayangaon.

According to the Narayangaon police, Wankhede has been undergoing treatment for a psychological disorder. On Monday, the ST bus driver Suresh Pawar parked the bus on the Narayangaon ST stand premises and went to the control room.

Assistant inspector SV Autade of Narayangaon police station told DNA, “Wankhede jumped into the driver’s seat of the unattended bus and started the ignition. The passengers were unaware about it. He drove the bus towards Nashik and hit a car and a motorcycle. The passengers were screaming when the bus knocked down a pedestrian.”

A resident, Mahesh Gadkar, informed the police about the incident.

Wankhede hails from Washim and had come to Narayangaon in search of work. His family members, residing near the ST stand area, told the police that he used to roam around the ST stand area as he was mentally unstable.

On Monday night, the Narayangaon police arrested Wankhede for rash and negligent driving.

Student killed by dumper truck
Tejal Jay Akolkar, 22, a student of the College of Physiotherapy at Sancheti Institute of Orthopaedics and Rehabilitation, was killed after she was run over by a Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) dumper truck (MH-12 QA-7493) on Monday morning. The Bundgarden police have registered a complaint.

According to the police, Tejal was on her way to Inlaks Budhrani Hospital in Koregaon Park on her Honda Activa (MH 12 FS 2809). When she came near Council Hall chowk, the dumper truck driver lost control and ran over her, killing her on the spot. Her helmet was broken into two.

Tejal is a resident of Sitaram Park in Garden View Co-operative Housing Society in Somwar Peth. Her father Jay takes classes in chartered accountancy in Kothrud, while her mother is a homemaker.

The police arrested the dumper driver, Bharat Shahaji Takawane, 30, a resident of Pargaon in Daund taluka.

2 cops hurt in road accident
Two police constables attached to the Faraskhana police station sustained serious injuries after their motorcycle (MH-12 AH 8499) was hit by a speeding Indica car (MH-14 BC 1507) on Monday night at Kumbharves Chowk.

The policemen were identified as Ismail Shaikh and Salim Musa Shaikh.

The Faraskhana police have booked the car owner,  Mangesh Vasant Hande, 35, of Rajgurunagar.

According to the police, on Monday night, the victims were going on their motorcycle from Pawale Chowk to Kumbharves Chowk. When they neared the chowk, Hande lost control over the vehicle and hit their motorcycle. Salim sustained minor injuries while Ismail was seriously injured. Ismail was rushed to a private hospital for treatment and reported out of danger.