Pune, 11th June 2025: A speeding truck hit a bike that was moving ahead at Gangadham Chowk on Wednesday morning, killing a female passenger on the spot and seriously injuring the bike rider. The Market Yard police have registered a case against the truck driver for causing death and injury by negligent driving.
The incident took place at Gangadham Chowk around 11:15 am. Jagdish Pannalal Soni (age 61, resident of Gangadham Chowk) was riding a bike and his daughter-in-law Deepali Yuvraj Soni (age 29) was sitting behind him. As soon as the signal went off, the bike rider tried to move forward, but the truck that came from behind hit both of them hard.
Deepali Soni died on the spot after coming under the wheels of the truck in the collision. Jagdish Soni is seriously injured and is undergoing treatment at Spiral Hospital, Gangadham. His condition is currently stable, police said.
The truck driver Shaukat Ali Papalal Kulkundi (age 51, resident of Bhavani Peth, Pune) has been taken into custody by the police. His medical examination is underway. A case has been registered under Section 105 of the Indian Penal Code in this case. After this accident, citizens had gathered at Gangadham Chowk. Traffic was disrupted for some time.
Since this is a market yard area, there is a large amount of heavy vehicle traffic in Gangadham Chowk. The traffic police have banned heavy vehicles like trucks and mixers in the city during rush hour. Still, how did this truck get to Gangadham Chowk in the morning? What were the traffic police doing?
Traffic has become extremely dangerous due to speeding drivers coming from the slopes at Gangadham Chowk. Accidents are happening at this place due to the negligence of unruly drivers and traffic police. To avoid such incidents in the future, there is a need to reconsider the traffic system at that intersection in coordination with the traffic police and the municipal corporation. The municipal administration and the traffic police need to take immediate measures.
