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Minister’s car kills biker on Expressway
The official car of minister for water supply and sanitation Laxman Dhoble allegedly hit a motorcycle on the Pune-Mumbai Expressway on Thursday, killing the rider.
The official car of minister for water supply and sanitation Laxman Dhoble allegedly hit a motorcycle on the Pune-Mumbai Expressway on Thursday, killing the rider.
The victim, Shahaji Baban Ojharkar, bled to death.
Fifty-eight-year-old Dhoble, a senior Nationalist Congress Party leader from Solapur, got into another car and proceeded to Pune.
He suffered minor injuries and was admitted to YCM hospital at Pimpri.
The accident occurred near Urse, 40 km from Pune. At 9:30 pm, Dhoble’s car, an Innova, hit Ojharkar, killing him instantly, the Talegaon police said.
Motorcycles are not allowed on the Expressway.
The minister did not suffer any major injuries. Jaydev Suryawanshi, who was driving Dhoble’s car, and Dhoble’s bodyguard, Shantaram Ghagilwarkar, were hurt.
They were admitted to a private hospital.
Dhoble could not be contacted despite continuous attempts because he had switched off his mobile phone.
His assistant, DR Gorule, told Hindustan Times from Mumbai that Dhoble had left for Pune in the evening after attending a function in Mumbai.
Gorule blamed the motorcyclist for the accident and said Dhoble asked for a private car to be arranged for him after the accident.
Police inspector Sanjay Nikam, who reached the spot minutes after accident, told Hindustan Times: “When we reached, Ojharkar’s body was lying on the road and the minister’s car was on a farm, adjacent to the Expressway.”
Ojharkar is a resident of Ojharde village, which is close to the accident spot.
Superintendent of police Pratap Dighavkar said: “We can’t comment on how the accident occurred. We are trying to collect information.”
There was confusion about the convoy accompanying Dhoble’s car.
Dighavkar said it looked like Dhoble’s car had left the convoy behind. Gorule said he was in touch with the convoy until it reached Panvel.
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