- Author, Prachi Kulkarni
- Designation, for bbc marathi
In Pune, Maharashtra, a minor hit two people with his speeding Porsche car. This incident happened on Saturday, May 18 in Kalyani Nagar area of Pune.
Bike riders Anish Awadhiya and Ashwini Costa both died in the accident.
After the incident, the police arrested the accused and presented him in the court.
The court granted bail to the minor with some conditions, but a new debate broke out regarding these conditions. When people raised questions on granting bail, the police registered the case again.
In this case, the police have registered a case against the boy’s father as well as the manager and employees of the pub where the boy drank alcohol. They are accused of giving alcohol to the child without knowing his age.
The father is accused of allowing his minor son to drive the car.
On Monday, May 21, the police arrested four people, including the minor’s father, the bar owner, manager and bar tender.
According to the FIR, the boy had gone to two pubs near Kalyani Nagar and consumed alcohol, after which he hit two people riding a Pulsar while driving recklessly without a license late at night.
What is in the FIR?
According to the FIR, a gray colored car was being driven by a minor and he hit two people riding a bike.
According to this, some of his friends were also with the minor at the time of the accident.
On Saturday, May 18, between 10 and 12 noon, everyone went to a hotel in Mundwa area of Pune to party. Here they drank different types of liquor, but the party did not end here.
According to the FIR, after this, everyone went to another hotel in Mundhwa area between 12 and 1 am.
According to the FIR, all the friends drank alcohol here too.
After this, at around 2.30 in the morning, while driving an expensive gray colored car, he hit a bike rider. Two people riding the bike died in this accident.
It has also been mentioned in the FIR that there is no number plate on either side of this car, while the age of the minor driving the car is 17 years and 8 months.
bail on these conditions
image source, BBC
The court has granted bail to the minor, but many people are expressing surprise about the conditions that have been imposed.
1) The minor accused will have to stand at the intersection with the traffic police for 15 days and help in traffic. Along with this, after understanding the traffic rules, a report will have to be prepared and submitted to the RTO.
2) The child has to write an essay of 300 words on road accidents and their solutions.
3) The minor will have to undergo treatment from psychiatric experts to give up alcohol.
4) To get rid of alcohol, the minor should take help of Muktangan De-addiction Center.
5) If he sees any accident in future, he will have to help the accident victims.
Will the police investigate whether the accused is a minor or not?
Image source, YEARS
Pune Police Commissioner Amitesh Kumar has given information about this entire matter in a press conference.
Amitesh Kumar says that he got bail because the accused is a minor.
However, he also said that he will file a petition against this in the sessions court.
He said, “It is very clear that the boy was driving under the influence of alcohol. No one will be spared in this matter.”
Is the accused a minor? Talking about this, he said that investigation is being done by going to the school.
He said that action will also be taken against the dealer who gives the car without number plate.
Amitesh Kumar says that he will work with the Excise Department to take action against pubs and bars in Kalyaninagar and Koregaon Park areas.
He said that the investigation of this case has been handed over to the Assistant Commissioner of Police.
Amitesh said that the CCTV footage of the police station will also be examined to find out whether anyone has exerted political pressure.
What is known about the dead?
image source, Getty Images
Shuraih Niazi, BBC correspondent from Madhya Pradesh According to the information, 24-year-old Anish Avadhiya, who lost his life in the accident, was a resident of Birsinghpur Pali, Umaria in Madhya Pradesh.
Anish, the elder of the two brothers, was working as an engineer in a private software company in Pune. His father Om Prakash Avadhiya runs a printing press.
Anish’s younger brother is also studying in Pune. According to Shuraih Niazi, Anish’s parents are not in a position to talk to the media.
Anish’s maternal uncle Gyanendra Soni said, “We have just filed a complaint there. But no specific action was taken against the accused. “In fact, the case made against him is very flexible.”
He said, “Two people lost their lives and nothing was done against the accused. If the same boy had belonged to an ordinary family, would similar action have been taken against him?”
Gyanendra Soni also has a complaint against the hospital in Pune where Anish was taken after the accident.
Anish’s grandfather Atmaram Awadhiya is also very angry about the action taken in the whole matter. He said, “Two people lose their lives and he is granted bail within a few hours. This is a very wrong approach. Those who have lost their families should be thought about. There should be a complete investigation in this matter and the accused should not be released under any circumstances.”
The second death in the accident was of Ashwini Costa, a resident of Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh. Ashwini’s father works in the electricity department and her brother is a software engineer in Bengaluru.
Ashwini was also working in a private company as a software engineer in Pune.
Father Suresh Costa said, “We will fight this battle so that the daughter can get justice. After all, how did the accused get bail even after such a big accident.”
While talking to the media, a relative of the deceased girl said, “This accident happened at night, at 2.30 am. A minor boy hit her with his car. He hit her so hard that my daughter jumped 10-15 feet and fell down. Her head was broken, her hand was fractured. After that, the administration, high-level leaders and influential people. This girl was hit by an accident by a boy who is the son of a very big builder. He is an Agarwal.”
He said, “What is our Constitution saying at this time that bail is granted within an hour? Someone’s life may be lost and bail may be granted within an hour. If a poor person is not granted bail…how was he left out? A minor. If the boy meets with an accident, which court is set up on Sunday, there should be no bail there? What is the administration doing?
Orders for strict action- Fadnavis
image source, YEARS
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has ordered strict action in the case of death of two people due to negligent driving.
He called the Pune Police Commissioner and took information about the matter and ordered to take strict action.
Fadnavis has said that even though the accused has been granted bail, he has given instructions to appeal against it.
He also said that the CCTV footage of the police station will be seen and if it is found that special treatment was given to the accused, immediate action will be taken to suspend the concerned police personnel.
Political reactions to the case
Image source, X/RAVINDRA DHANGEKAR
Not only are people angry on social media about this incident in Pune, but different political parties have also reacted.
Bharatiya Janata Party has written a letter to the Pune Police Commissioner on this matter on Monday, May 20.
In this letter, BJP said that night life culture is responsible for such incidents.
On the other hand, Congress MLA Ravindra Dhangekar has demanded action against pubs and bars in the hit and run case.
Ravindra Dhangekar along with the activists also staged a sit-in protest at Yerwada Police Station.
What does the law say?
image source, Getty Images
What is the legal side of this entire incident? We spoke to senior lawyer Aseem Sarode regarding this.
According to him, the police have registered a case against the parents who gave the car along with the pub which provided alcohol to the minor. In this matter, Pune Police has registered a case under Motor Vehicle Act 199A.
The car that the minor was driving had no number plate. Therefore, a case has been registered in this matter under the provisions of the new laws.
They say that according to this provision, if a minor meets with an accident, a case will be registered against the parents and they can also be punished.
If the vehicle is used in the offence under this Act, its registration will also be cancelled for 12 months.
Whereas if this happens to a minor then he will not be able to get a learner’s license till the age of 25 years.
