Pune: Tragic Road Accident in Talawade; 9-Year-Old Killed, Elder Sister Injured by PMPML Bus

Talawade, 10th December 2025: A devastating road accident in Talawade has claimed the life of a nine-year-old girl and left her elder sister critically injured after they were struck by a Pune Mahanagar Parivahan Mahamandal Limited (PMPML) bus. The incident, captured on CCTV and circulating widely on social media, has reignited public concerns over road safety in Pune.

The deceased has been identified as Sudha Lal Bihari Verma (9), while her elder sister Radha Ram Mohan Verma (22) remains in serious condition. Both siblings live in Talawade and are originally from Uttar Pradesh. The accident was reported to the Dehu Road Police by Ram Mohan Shrisantram Verma (23), a relative of the victims.

Police have detained the bus driver, Kiran Bhattu Jadhav Patil (36), a Dhule native residing in Chikhali. He has been booked under relevant sections of the Bombay Police Act, including provisions for causing death by negligence, rash driving, and endangering life, alongside applicable sections of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988.

According to Senior Police Inspector Vikram Bansode of Dehu Road Police Station, the accident occurred around 2:00 PM near Balaji Garage on Talawade Nigdi Road. “The sisters were crossing the road carefully, waiting for vehicles to pass, when the PMPML bus, driven recklessly, struck them,” he said. The younger sister succumbed to her injuries on the spot, while the elder sister was rushed to hospital with critical injuries. The driver allegedly abandoned the bus and fled before being apprehended. PSI Waghmare is leading the ongoing investigation.

The CCTV footage, which shows the bus hitting the sisters, has gone viral, prompting widespread condemnation of reckless driving. Netizens have criticized the driver’s negligence, noting that the road was largely clear and that the victims were crossing cautiously.

The accident has renewed discussions on traffic safety, PMPML operational accountability, and stricter enforcement of road regulations.