Pune, 26 August 2025: A finance professional was brutally attacked by a group of men on Khadki Road after he stopped two bikers from driving on the wrong side. The incident has triggered strong criticism of the police response to rising road rage cases in the city.
The victim, identified as 29-year-old Satyam Bhargav from Kharadi, was assaulted around 5:30 pm on Monday near the Gurudwara on Elphinstone Road. He said two men on a two-wheeler blocked his car after he told them to follow traffic rules. The argument quickly turned violent as the bikers hit him and later called in two more accomplices on a bullet motorcycle.
Bhargav suffered a fractured nose and heavy bleeding in the attack. His gold chain and some cash were also taken away. “My nose was broken and I was bleeding heavily. I kept calling the emergency number but by the time police came, the attackers had already escaped,” he said.
The entire incident was captured on his car’s dashcam. However, despite the evidence and the severity of his injuries, Khadki police only registered a non-cognisable offence (NC), which does not allow immediate arrests without a court order. Bhargav claimed he was made to wait at the police station for over three hours before being informed of this decision.
He was first taken to Khadki Cantonment Hospital and later shifted to YCM Hospital, Pimpri, where doctors confirmed a fractured nose.
The case has once again highlighted growing concerns over violent road rage incidents in Pune and raised doubts about whether the police are doing enough to ensure the safety of citizens on city roads.
