Inebriated dumper driver mows down 3, including two toddlers, sleeping on footpath

Speeding dumper travelling from Pune to Ahmednagar suddenly swerved off the road and onto the footpath, where 12 people were sleeping.

A drunk driver veered his dumper truck off the road onto a footpath crushing nine people sleeping on the footpath killing three, including two toddlers, and injuring six others in Kesnand Wagholi at the wee hours on Monday, officials said.

While nine were crushed by the vehicle, the others managed to escape with minor injuries. (MAHENDRA KOLHE/ HT PHOTO)

According to eyewitnesses and police officials, the driver identified as Gajanan Shankar Totre, 26, was under the influence of alcohol when the incident took place and has been arrested and charged with culpable homicide related offences.

The accident took place at 1 am when the speeding dumper travelling from Pune to Ahmednagar suddenly swerved off the road and onto the footpath, where 12 people were sleeping. While nine were hit by the vehicle, the others managed to escape with minor injuries.

The victims were rushed to Sassoon General Hospital, where three of the injured remain in critical condition.

Senior inspector Pandit Rejitwad said, “A case has been filed against the driver. Three persons are dead, six injured and three are critical and admitted to Sassoon hospital. The family who had come from Amravati to Pune in search of casual work were sleeping on the footpath adjoining huts along the roadside when the accident took place.”

The deceased have been identified as Vishal Vinod Pawar, 22; Vaibhavi Ritesh Pawar, 1, and Vaibhav Ritesh Pawar, 2. The injured include Janaki Dinesh Pawar, 21; Rinisha Vinod Pawar, 18; Roshan Shashadu Bhosale, 9; Nagesh Nivrutti Pawar, 27; Darshan Sanjay Vairal, 18 and Alisha Vinod Pawar, 47.

A woman relative of the deceased said that the family was forced to relocate in search of job because of their extreme poverty. “We request the government to make some home arrangements for the bereaved family,” she said.

Another eyewitness said, “The tragedy has left the hutment dwellers shocked, and a state of panic has gripped the families of labourers.”

Deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar visited the spot in the afternoon and met the families of accident victims. “I have instructed the police to invoke the most stringent sections against the arrested accused, who was drunk at the time of the accident. We are also taking action against the dumper owner. The state government will take care of medical expenses of the injured and extend other benefits to the affected families after discussion with chief minister Devendra Fadnavis,” said Pawar.

Shirur MP Amol Kolhe in a post on X stated, “The news of some labourers and their families sleeping on the pavement at Kesnand Phata, Wagholi in Pune being crushed by a dumper is very painful. Innocent labourers and their families have lost their lives in this accident. I pay my heartfelt tributes to those who died in this incident and pray to Jagdamba for the speedy recovery of the injured victims.”

Meanwhile, the state government has announced ₹5 lakh relief to the kin of victims and free treatment for the injured.