In a shocking incident of reckless driving, a heavily intoxicated man in Pune drove his SUV at high speed with a completely loose front tyre, evading traffic police before being apprehended half an hour later. The event, which unfolded late on November 30, marks the third such drunk driving case reported in the city in recent days.
The Dangerous Chase and Evasion
According to the First Information Report (FIR), the incident began when the SUV, driven by a 48-year-old resident of Lullanagar, approached the Bund Garden bridge from the Yerawada side. The vehicle then proceeded onto Mangaldas Road. Around 11:30 PM on November 30, city traffic police personnel conducting a 'naka bandi' (checking operation) near Wadia College Chowk signaled the driver to stop.
Ignoring the police directive, the driver accelerated and sped away from the spot. The police noted that the left front tyre of the SUV had come off the wheel, yet the driver continued his dangerous journey, skirting past the officials.
Apprehension and Aftermath
The frantic drive finally came to an end in the early hours of Monday, December 1. The SUV automatically stopped near the Council Hall, leading to the driver's detention by the Bund Garden police. He was later released after a formal notice was issued to him.
A complaint in the matter was lodged by beat marshal Aniket Mane of the crime branch. In his statement to the police, the SUV driver claimed that the tyre had gotten deflated during his journey towards the Camp area. Instead of stopping, he chose to ignore it and kept driving, which eventually led to the tyre detaching from the wheel completely.
Video Evidence Circulates Widely
The entire reckless act was captured on video by some two-wheeler riders who trailed the SUV on Mangaldas Road. The widely circulated footage, which surfaced on social media platforms on Tuesday, clearly shows the SUV being driven rashly with its front left tyre placed horizontally, detached from the wheel.
This incident highlights a persistent and dangerous trend of drunk driving in Pune, posing severe risks to public safety. The police action underscores their ongoing efforts to curb such menace through regular checking operations.
