Drunk Driving Tragedy Strikes Pune's Kalyaninagar Again
In a disturbing repeat of drunk driving incidents in Pune's upscale Kalyaninagar area, a 30-year-old parking attendant lost his life after being struck by a car driven by an intoxicated IT professional on Sunday afternoon. The tragic incident occurred around 3 PM, sending shockwaves through the community still recovering from May's fatal Porsche crash.
The Fatal Sequence of Events
The accused, identified as 50-year-old Pratapsinh Dhaygude, arrived at a prominent Kalyaninagar bar and restaurant already under the influence of alcohol. According to senior inspector Anjum Bagwan of Yerawada police, restaurant staff immediately recognized Dhaygude's intoxicated state and refused to serve him additional liquor.
"When staff saw the state Dhaygude was in, they refused to serve him liquor," Inspector Bagwan confirmed. "He then walked out in a huff, put his car in reverse, attempted to take a right turn, but lost control, ramming into the victim and then into a wall."
The vehicle involved was a VW Jetta, which police have since impounded as evidence in the ongoing investigation.
Immediate Police Action and Arrest
Police officers detained Dhaygude at the scene and immediately arranged for medical testing at Sassoon Hospital. The medical examination confirmed that Dhaygude was driving under the influence of alcohol, providing crucial evidence for the case.
During questioning, when police asked Dhaygude where he had consumed alcohol before arriving at the restaurant, the IT employee repeatedly stated, "I'm a good man, not a bad man," instead of providing a direct answer.
Dhaygude, a resident of Dhanori who works at an IT firm in Yerawada, now faces serious charges following the fatal incident.
Remembering the Victim
The deceased parking attendant has been identified as Satyendar Mandal, a 30-year-old resident of Wadgaon Sheri in Pune who originally hailed from Bihar. Mandal worked as a valet attendant at the establishment where the tragedy unfolded.
Following the incident, the restaurant released an official statement expressing their grief. "We are extremely sad to report that there was an accident outside our restaurant this afternoon around 3 PM, resulting in the loss of life of one of our colleagues, Satyendar Mandal," the statement read.
The establishment assured full cooperation with police authorities, stating, "We are extending our complete cooperation with the police to help bring justice to the victim."
Disturbing Pattern in Kalyaninagar
This latest tragedy occurs alarmingly close to the location where another drunk driving incident claimed two lives on May 19, 2024. In that case, a 17-year-old drunk driver crashed his Porsche into two tech professionals - Aneesh Awadhiya and Ashwini Koshta - killing both instantly.
The proximity of these two incidents, separated by just 100 meters, has raised serious concerns about road safety and drunk driving enforcement in the Kalyaninagar area. Local residents and business owners are calling for stricter measures to prevent such preventable tragedies.
Yerawada police have registered an FIR and continue their investigation into Sunday's incident, while the community mourns the loss of another young life to drunk driving.
