Two toddlers and a man were killed and six other persons injured after a truck ran over people sleeping on a footpath in Maharashtra’s Pune city in the wee hours of Monday. The incident took place at 12.55 AM on the footpath in Wagholi area where several persons were sleeping, PTI reports, citing police.
The victims comprised labourers and their family members hailing from Amravati. The labourers had come to Pune a couple of days back in search of jobs.
The truck driver, identified as Gajanan Totre (26), was arrested after the incident and his medical test was being done to ascertain if he was driving under the influence of alcohol.
According to a police official, several people were sleeping on the footpath near Kesnand Phata area, most of them labourers. They were run over by a truck, killing three. The deceased have been identified as Vaibhavi Pawar (1), Vaibhav Pawar (2) and Vishal Pawar (22).
The six injured persons – Janki Pawar (21), Rinisha Pawar (18), Roshan Bhosale (9), Nagesh Pawar (27), Darshan Vairal (18) and Aalisha Pawar (47) – were admitted to the Sassoon General Hospital
Pune Additional Commissioner of Police (East Region) Manoj Patil said the truck driver lost control over the wheels near Wagholi police station and rammed his vehicle into several people sleeping on the footpath at 12.55 am.
Patil said that prima facie the people who were injured and died were labourers and their family members from Amravati district. They came to Pune just two days ago in search of jobs.
A case has been registered against the truck driver under all relevant sections. Probe in the case is underway.