1 day Ago
A man out on his walk Tuesday morning in Undri died after being hit by a vehicle whose driver had lost control, according to the Kalepadal police. The accident occurred at around 7 am near Nyati Esteban Society located in Undri, which is among the villages that were merged with the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) in October 2017. The deceased, identified as Sujit Kumar Singh, 48, was a resident of Undri and worked as a security manager.
The police said that as per his daily routine, Singh left home for his morning walk on Tuesday when at some point, the driver of a car lost control over his vehicle and rammed into Singh from behind. Such was the impact that Singh was flung into the air before falling to the ground where some construction material was lying around. The police along with a few locals rushed Singh to a nearby hospital but he was declared dead before arrival.
The police said that Singh succumbed to grievous head injuries. Mansinh Patil, senior police inspector at Kalepadal police station, said, “We analysed more than 200 CCTV cameras installed at various locations and identified the car. We are trying to get the registration number and other details.
We will soon nab the accused.” The police confirmed that the driver did not offer any help to the victim, fleeing from the spot instead. A case has been filed against the unknown car driver at Kalepadal police station under sections 106 and 281 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and sections 184, 119/177, and 134 (a)(b) of the Motor Vehicle Act, and the search is on for the runaway driver.
Meanwhile, local residents are pinning the blame on the PMC saying that another accident took place along the same stretch in the recent past but the PMC neglected to take preventive measures. The locals voiced their frustration at the neglect of Undri ever since its merger with the PMC in October 2017. Despite the leadership having changed hands several times, the area continues to remain underdeveloped with funds being redirected to more affluent neighbourhoods, they pointed out.
Nationalist Congress Party/NCP (SP) leader and MP Supriya Sule posted on X saying: “A pedestrian lost his life after being hit by a vehicle while on a morning walk in the Undri area; a tragic and unfortunate incident that has once again raised concerns over pedestrian safety in the locality. Heartfelt condolences to the deceased and their family.” “Over the past few years, traffic congestion in Undri has increased significantly, making it hazardous for pedestrians even in the early hours of the day.
Despite repeated appeals from residents for appropriate safety measures, authorities have failed to take substantial action. With growing vehicular movement, the roads have become increasingly unsafe for those walking. Urgent steps are needed to prevent such incidents from recurring,” she said in her post.
Sule made a recommendation to the PMC that since Undri has ample open space and the municipal corporation has designated spaces, including one for a public park, immediate action be taken to construct a park in Undri so as to serve as a safe space for morning walks, exercise and other recreational activities. Such a facility would prevent such accidents by offering a secure alternative to pedestrians. “In light of this, I urge the municipal commissioner to take immediate action to construct a park in Undri and implement necessary pedestrian safety measures, addressing the long-standing concerns of citizens,” Sule said.
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