Pune Road Rage: Student Attacked Following Traffic Accident
Hadapsar, 27th April 2024: A 21-year-old second-year arts degree student from a city college endured a harrowing ordeal on April 24, when he was attacked with a stone following a quarrel sparked by a traffic accident between Keshav Chowk and Malwadi in Hadapsar around 2 pm.
Lokesh Waghela, a resident of Fatimanagar, suffered a head injury that required seven stitches after two men assaulted him. The victim spent a day in the hospital receiving treatment before filing a complaint with the Hadapsar police on Thursday. The police have registered a case under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), including rash and negligent driving, endangering human life, assault, intentional insult, and common intention. Efforts are underway to locate the assailants.
Senior Inspector Santosh Pandhare of the Hadapsar police stated on Friday that a police team is scrutinizing CCTV footage to identify the attackers. He expressed optimism that if the bike’s registration number is discerned, the identities of both the rider and the pillion passenger can be established.
According to Waghela, he and his friend, Ninad Kamble, were traveling from Keshav Chowk to Malwadi on his scooter after visiting a mall. As they approached a speed breaker, Waghela slowed down. However, two men on a bike behind them failed to anticipate the decrease in speed and collided with their vehicle, tumbling onto the road. An argument ensued, during which Waghela maintained his innocence, stating that he was driving straight. However, matters escalated when one of the men grabbed him by the collar, verbally abused him, and began assaulting him, with the biker also joining in the attack.
Waghela recounted that his friend, Kamble, attempted to intervene but was also targeted by the assailants. Even bystanders who tried to mediate were subjected to verbal abuse. The situation took a violent turn when one of the assailants picked up a stone and struck Waghela on the left side of his head, causing him to lose consciousness. Fortunately, Kamble and several passersby rushed him to a nearby hospital for urgent medical attention, while the assailants fled the scene following the assault.
