Drunk Dumper Driver Runs Over 3 Including 2 Kids in Pune

Mumbai: In a tragic mishap, three people, including two toddlers, were killed when an allegedly inebriated driver ran a speeding dumper over a family of migrant workers sleeping on the footpath in Wagholi in Pune in the early hours of Monday. Six people were injured and one of them is critical.

The Pune city police identified the deceased as Vishal Vinod Pawar, 22, Vaibhav Ritesh Pawar, 2, and his sister Vaibhavi Ritesh Pawar, 1, all from Amravati. Those who were injured include Janaki Dinesh Pawar, 21, Rinisha Vinod Pawar, 18, Roshan Bhosale, 9, Nagesh Nivrutti Pawar, 27, Darshan Sanjay Vairal, 18, and Alisha Vinod Pawar, 47.

Wagholi police’s senior inspector Pandit Rejitwad said, “We have arrested the dumper driver, Gajanan Shankar Totare (26), on charges of culpable homicide not amounting to murder and drunk driving, among other sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Motor Vehicles Act.”

According to police, the accident took place at 1 am near Kesnand Phata. Wagholi. The accused was driving the truck at a high speed after consuming liquor. He lost control of the vehicle and the truck crossed the road divider and ran over the victims who were fast asleep.

After receiving information, senior police officers rushed to the spot, and the victims were taken to a hospital. Three of them were pronounced dead, after which their bodies were shifted to Sassoon Hospital for post-mortem examination.

The driver was arrested after his medical test confirmed he had consumed alcohol and was driving under the influence.

According to the police, the victims migrated to Pune from rural parts of Amravati and Wardha districts to work in Pune. They are mostly daily wage labourers working at construction sites and other small jobs to earn a living.