Pune: Woman Trapped Under Wheel, Dragged 300 Feet — Helmet Saves Her Life
Bhukum (Mulshi), 20th July 2025: In a dramatic turn of events, a woman narrowly escaped death after a terrifying accident caused by an oil spill on the Mulshi road near the Shell petrol pump in Bhukum. The accident, which occurred on Friday evening, involved five two-wheeler riders, all of whom skidded due to the slippery road surface. Among them was Vrushali Ram Gaikwad, a resident of Shindewadi, whose life was miraculously saved—thanks to her helmet and the timely help of local villagers.
Vrushali, who was returning home from work around 7 PM, lost control of her bike after it slipped on the oil-covered stretch of the road. As she tried to get up, a tempo coming from Pune and heading toward Pirangut ran over her. Unaware of what had happened, the tempo driver kept moving, dragging Vrushali for nearly 300 feet, with her head trapped under the rear wheel.
Passersby on the road witnessed the horrifying scene and screamed for the tempo to stop. Responding to the crowd’s desperate cries, the driver finally halted. Demonstrating remarkable presence of mind despite her critical condition, Vrushali warned people not to move the tempo forward or backward, fearing the wheel might crush her head completely.
The villagers quickly gathered, lifted the tempo, and rescued her from underneath. She was immediately rushed to a private hospital for treatment. According to the police, Vrushali survived with only minor injuries—a miracle credited entirely to her helmet.
“The helmet took the full impact. It shattered, but protected her skull. Without it, this would have ended very differently,” said a police official from Bavdhan Police Station, which is handling the case.
After being rescued, Vrushali made her first call to her father. Fighting back tears, she reassured him, “I am safe. Don’t worry.”
The accused tempo driver, identified as Mayur Rajesh Kandhare, a resident of Bhukum, has been arrested by the police.
