A 45-year-old drunk driver in Haldwani, Uttarakhand, ran over four pedestrians at two separate locations on Sunday night, leaving a woman in critical condition, police confirmed on Monday.
The accused, identified as Pankaj, a resident of Mukhani, was pulled from his car and assaulted by an angry crowd before police rescued him. He was later arrested and charged under relevant sections of the law.
Sequence of Events
According to Kotwali inspector Vijay Mehta, the incident occurred around 9:30 PM on Sunday when Pankaj was driving from Unchapul toward the city via Kaladhungi Road. Police said he first struck three pedestrians near the Mukhani-Kaladhungi intersection. After the initial hit, he continued driving past the Jail Road junction toward the Kalu Siddha Baba temple, where he hit a woman walking on the roadside. The impact threw her several feet away. Bystanders rushed her to a hospital, where doctors described her condition as critical.
After striking the woman, Pankaj lost control of the vehicle and crashed into an electricity pole, bringing the car to a halt. Onlookers then dragged him out and beat him. A police team arrived at the scene and took him into custody.
Medical Confirmation and Legal Action
Inspector Vijay Mehta stated that a medical examination confirmed Pankaj was under the influence of alcohol at the time of the incident. “We have registered a case against the accused under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Motor Vehicles Act. An investigation is underway,” Mehta said. The injured woman remains under treatment, and police have not yet released her identity.
Authorities are reviewing CCTV footage from the area to corroborate the sequence of events and identify any additional victims or witnesses. The case underscores ongoing concerns about road safety and drunk driving in the region.
Public Safety Alert
Local residents expressed outrage over the incident, calling for stricter enforcement of traffic laws. “This is not the first time such an accident has happened here. The police need to conduct more checkpoints,” said a shopkeeper near the temple who witnessed the aftermath. Police have increased patrols in the Mukhani area following the incident.
Drunk driving remains a significant issue in Uttarakhand, with hundreds of cases reported annually. According to the Uttarakhand Traffic Police, over 1,200 drunk driving cases were registered in 2025 alone, resulting in 45 fatalities. The Haldwani incident adds to the growing calls for harsher penalties and regular sobriety checks.
