A tragic incident occurred in Nagpur on Saturday morning when a 72-year-old yoga teacher, Mangala Kewte, was knocked dead by a speeding SUV at Barlinge Chowk in Dharampeth. The driver, identified as Ashish Yadav, was detained for questioning, and the vehicle was seized by the city police.
Details of the Incident
According to preliminary investigation, Kewte, a resident of Khare Town in Dharampeth, was walking along the left side of the road during her morning walk when stray dogs started barking loudly. Startled, she ran towards the road. At that moment, an Innova car allegedly driven at high speed by Yadav tossed her before crushing her under its wheels.
The SUV also hit a biker named Pandey at Bole petrol pump Square before speeding away. Kewte was rushed to the hospital but was declared dead on arrival.
Public Outrage
The incident has sparked anger among locals who have long complained about stray dogs on roads, especially in the dark. Many residents demanded immediate action against reckless driving and a check on the stray dog population in the area.
Police Investigation
Sitabuldi police, led by senior inspector Vittal Singh Rajput and sub-inspector Vinod Tiwari, traced the vehicle to Seoni using its registration number and CCTV footage, and brought it to Nagpur. Police sources said the driver panicked after the crash and drove straight to Seoni (Madhya Pradesh), where he parked the vehicle and left.
Yadav appeared before Sitabuldi police on Sunday. The SUV is undergoing forensic tests to confirm speed and other technical details. The vehicle belongs to Vijay Khandelwal from Seoni, Madhya Pradesh.
Legal Action
Senior police officials assured a thorough probe. The case is being treated as a hit-and-run with possible charges of rash driving and causing death by negligence. Yadav had driven Khandelwal's daughter and son-in-law from Seoni to Nagpur for medical treatment. Senior Inspector Rajput said the police have summoned Khandelwal's son-in-law and injured biker Pandey to verify Yadav's identity. Notices were issued to Yadav, asking him to appear again on Monday. He will be arrested once his identity is confirmed beyond doubt.
