Pune: The recent accident at Kalyaninagar that claimed the lives of two young techies has garnered nationwide attention. The incident has raised concerns among the youth of Pune, creating an atmosphere of shock and caution, especially among those who frequent pubs and bars.
Kalyaninagar, Vimannagar, and Koregaon Park have emerged as bustling hubs with large number of pubs and bars often seen crowded on weekends, even post-midnight.
These areas see an influx of visitors, mainly young people in their twenties, to cafes, restaurants, pubs, and other hangout spots. The predominant feeling among the city’s youth after the Sunday accident have been of fear and anger.
Nakshatra Kashyap, a 20-year-old who often travels to Vimannagar, now finds the idea of riding a two-wheeler, especially at night, frightening. “I’m sure the two persons who were killed never imagined something like this would happen to them. We (my friends and I) kept thinking, what if it was one of us?” she said.
Yuvraj Singh, a 24-year-old who frequently uses the road where the tragic accident took place at Kalyaninagar, said, “The incident has left me scared. It also makes one feel helpless because if another car is speeding, how careful can you be? It doesn’t leave you with many options.”
Nakshatra and Yuvraj also stressed on exercising caution on the roads as the 17-year-old was driving the Porsche above permissible limit that killed the two techies on Sunday morning.
{{/usCountry}}Nakshatra and Yuvraj also stressed on exercising caution on the roads as the 17-year-old was driving the Porsche above permissible limit that killed the two techies on Sunday morning.
{{/usCountry}}Praniti Deshpande, another youngster from Kharadi, who works at an IT firm and regularly visits pubs said, “After the incident, I have been asking friends to visit these establishments only through cabs and autorickshaws instead of driving own vehicle which is not allowed under drink and drive law.”
“The incident has scared me as I often go out at night. It has made all the more important to take safety measures, like wearing helmet when I ride two-wheeler and drinking responsibly,” said Shruti Sharma, a 21-year-old resident of Pune.
Many expressed outrage at the perceived lack of consequences for the accused.
Yuvraj Singh said, “I am unhappy with the decision of treating him as a juvenile because his actions clearly depict otherwise.”
Ajay Hanje, 22, said, “The kid killed people who had loved ones. The bereaved families want the culprit apprehended by the authorities. Yet, he gets to write an essay and do a few hours of community service.”
“If this guy gets off easy, what’s to say that this won’t happen again to me or my peers?” said a youth who did not wished to be identified.
Parents of many youngsters expressed fear saying that their children too go out for late-night parties. They demanded better traffic regulations and more accountability from police.
“I live in Vimannagar and see so many accidents, some fatal, that go unreported, mostly because of poor traffic control. Pune has had this problem for a long time. And the police don’t act on it,” said Shyam Kuddyady, father of two daughters in their twenties.