Motorist assaults woman on scooter in road rage incident

The incident took place on the Pashan-Baner Link Road at around 12.30 pm when the elderly motorist was speeding behind her for almost 2 km, desperately trying to overtake

In an alleged incident of road rage, a popular digital media content creator riding with two small kids of her neighbour on a scooter was assaulted by a motorist who was attempting to overtake her on Saturday, the police said.

The woman, identified as Jerlyn D’Silva, narrating the incident in a social media video, said that she had moved to the side of the road to give him way when he suddenly sped in the front, took a left and blocked her two-wheeler near Hotel Mahabaleshwar. (HT PHOTO)

The incident took place on the Pashan-Baner Link Road at around 12.30 pm when the elderly motorist was speeding behind her for almost 2 km, desperately trying to overtake.

The woman, identified as Jerlyn D’Silva, narrating the incident in a social media video, said that she had moved to the side of the road to give him way when he suddenly sped in the front, took a left and blocked her two-wheeler near Hotel Mahabaleshwar. He got down in an angry mood, rushed up to her, pulled her hair and hit her on the face, leaving her with a bleeding nose. The accused was joined by his wife who also allegedly assaulted D’Silva before another woman came to her rescue, even as a crowd gathered there.

Later, the victim managed to remove the keys of the car of the accused, whose identity is not yet known.

A Chatuhshrungi Police Station official said that the victim was rushed to a nearby hospital for treatment and the accused was detained.

Later, D’Silva posted an Instagram video where she is seen visibly shaken with a choked voice and blood on face. “The old man was speeding through us for 2 km, sped, took me aside, got out of the car, gave two punches and pulled my hair. I allowed him to pass and gave him side but still he assaulted with punches. How safe is the city? Why are people behaving like maniacs? I don’t know where this is going. He punched my face and I started bleeding. I appeal to Pune police to take very strict action whatever possible against the attacker,” she said in her video.

The Instagram account of D’Silva, known for food blogging, covering fashion events, hotel launches and other social events, shows 70,000 followers.

Vijay Kumar Magar, deputy commissioner of police, Zone V, said, “We have received a complaint from D’Silva. Both the parties have been called for inquiry and a probe has been initiated.”

The incident sparked a furore on social media, coming exactly two months after a 17-year-old boy was involved in an alleged drunken hit-and-run accident in his Porsche car which left two persons dead.

Last Tuesday, the city was rocked by another drunken driving incident when a politician’s son rammed his SUV into a poultry truck on the Mundhwa-Manjari Road, leaving the driver and his assistant grievously injured.