Pune Hit-and-Run: 73-Year-Old Woman Loses Life During Morning Walk

Pune: A 73-year-old woman lost her life early Saturday morning after being hit by a speeding vehicle while on her daily morning walk. The incident, which occurred on Pashan Road, has once again raised serious concerns regarding pedestrian safety and the rising number of hit-and-run cases in the city.

The victim has been identified as Asha Vijaykumar Patil, a resident of the Abhimanshree Society. The accident took place between 5:30 AM and 6:00 AM in front of the National Chemical Laboratory (NCL). According to witnesses and preliminary police reports, deceased Patil was walking along the road when an unidentified vehicle, travelling at high speed, rammed into her from behind. 

The impact was so severe that she sustained fatal injuries. Instead of stopping to assist, the driver immediately ran away from the scene.

The Chaturshringi Police arrived at the location shortly after being alerted by residents. Patil was rushed to Sassoon General Hospital, but she was unfortunately declared dead upon arrival.

Assistant Police Inspector Amol Dhas noted that identifying the vehicle has proven difficult due to the lack of CCTV cameras at the exact collision site. However, authorities are actively scanning footage from neighboring establishments and the National Chemical Laboratory (NCL), while also reviewing traffic feeds from the surrounding Savitribai Phule Pune University (SPPU) area.

Following a formal complaint by the victim’s son, Atul Patil, the Chatuhshringi Police have registered a case against the unknown driver under Section 106(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) for death by negligence, rash driving, and several violations of the Motor Vehicles Act.

The tragic incident has sparked significant outrage among local residents in the Pashan and Baner areas. Concerned for their safety, citizens are now demanding that local authorities take immediate action to protect morning walkers. Their primary requests include the installation of better street lighting and an increase in police patrolling to prevent such reckless driving and ensure a safer environment for pedestrians.