A 68-year-old retired Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), Arvind Ramchandra Patil, sustained multiple injuries on Monday morning after his motorcycle handlebar got entangled in a loose internet cable hanging dangerously near Hirabaug Chowk on Tilak Road, Pune. The incident occurred around 10 a.m. while Patil was returning home to Bibvewadi after meeting morning joggers at Sarasbaug.
Patil recounted that just after crossing the Hirabaug traffic signal, the right handle of his bike caught the cable, causing the front wheel to lift and him to lose control. The bike skidded, and he fell hard on the road, injuring his shoulder, left leg, waist, and his right-hand ring finger, which required stitches. Doctors later informed him that nerve damage in the finger had caused numbness.
Passersby, including transport businessman Mahesh Walse-Patil and retired police inspector Dattaray Temghare along with Patil’s son, rushed to assist and took him to a private hospital on Pune-Satara Road. Patil was discharged after treatment.
Swargate Police, led by Senior Inspector Yuvraj Nandre, confirmed that the cable belonged to a private internet service provider and was not properly secured. Fire brigade personnel tied the cable to a nearby tree to prevent further accidents. The police have registered an FIR against the cable contractor, a government contractor, and their staff under sections 125 (act endangering life), 285 (negligent conduct), and 3(5) (common intention) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
Authorities have also written to the Pune Municipal Corporation’s Tilak Road ward office seeking details of those responsible for the loose cable. Witnesses reported the cable had been dangling for four days prior to the accident, with the civic body failing to act despite complaints.