Pune, 1st July 2026: Panic gripped Hadapsar on Tuesday evening after a tempo driver, allegedly a minor, fled from a traffic police checkpoint and went on to hit several vehicles along the Pune-Solapur Highway. The incident left multiple people injured and caused extensive damage to vehicles before the tempo was finally intercepted.
The incident took place around 5.30 pm between Fatimanagar, Magarpatta Chowk and Ravidarshan Chowk. According to preliminary information, traffic police in the Wanowrie area were conducting a special drive against vehicles with fancy number plates and illegal black window films when they attempted to stop the tempo heading towards Solapur.
Instead of stopping, the driver allegedly accelerated and tried to escape. While speeding through the busy stretch, the tempo brushed against and rammed several two-wheelers, cars and auto-rickshaws. Initial reports suggest that at least seven vehicles were damaged, although eyewitnesses claimed the number of vehicles involved could be higher.
Traffic police, with the help of local residents, finally intercepted the tempo near the Fifteen Number (15 Number) area. Angry commuters and bystanders pulled the driver out of the vehicle and assaulted him before handing him over to the police.
The injured were shifted to nearby hospitals for treatment. Police have not yet confirmed the exact number of people injured or the full extent of the damage.
Preliminary information suggests that the driver is a minor, and police suspect he may have been under the influence of alcohol at the time of the incident. Officials have detained him and launched an investigation to determine the exact cause of the crash and verify whether he had consumed alcohol.