Pune Records 1,296 Deaths In 4,231 Road Accidents In Last Four Years; Drunk & Rash Driving Remain Major Causes

Pune: Pune city continues to grapple with a grave road safety situation. Reckless drinking and driving, negligence and speedy driving have claimed 1,296 people's lives in 4,231 road accidents in the last four years.

According to the information, the data covers the period from 2022 to 2025. During this time, an additional 3,480 were injured in accidents across the city.

Elderly Cyclist Killed in Swargate

In a recent case, a 68-year-old cyclist was killed after being hit by a speeding truck in the busy Swargate area near Jedhe Chowk, highlighting once again the deadly consequences of reckless drunk driving on city roads.

The fatal accident occurred at around 9:45 pm on Tuesday, January 27, 2026. The victim, Vishwanath Shankar Salunkhe (68), a resident of Jai Bhavaninagar in the Janta Vasahat area near the Parvati foothills, was cycling through the chowk when a speeding truck rammed into him.

According to the information given by the police, Salunkhe suffered severe injuries and was immediately rushed to a nearby hospital. However, doctors declared him dead before treatment could begin.

Following the incident, the Swargate police arrested the truck driver, identified as Dattatraya Yadav More (35), a resident of Chaukhandi village in Jamkhed taluka of Ahilyanagar district. He was found drunk at the time of the accident, and a case has been registered in Swargate Police Station.

Two More Killed in Separate Accidents

Similarly, in two other road accidents, a young biker and a pedestrian were killed by speedy vehicles.

In the first case, Abhijit Ganesh Revle (19), a resident of Fursungi, died after his motorcycle was hit by a speeding dumper near JSPM College in Hadapsar, close to Marigold Society, on Monday morning. Revle was on his way to a temple when the dumper struck his bike. He sustained severe injuries and died on the spot. The dumper driver, identified as Suryakant Digambar Shrirame from Undri, has been booked by the Kalepadal police.

The second accident took place on Sunday night near Alankar Chowk, close to Pune railway station. Preeti Vidyasagar Vengal (26), a resident of Kharadi, was crossing the road when she was hit by a speeding PMPML bus. She came under the wheels and died instantly. The bus driver fled the scene.