Pimpri-Chinchwad: Four motorists have been booked for allegedly driving SUVs and other vehicles dangerously, blocking a road in Chakan MIDC and using cameras and a drone to shoot social media videos. The case was registered by North Mahalunge MIDC Police on Monday night, four days after the alleged incident. Police said the suspects drove four vehicles close to each other and repeatedly accelerated, slowed down and stopped while travelling from Sant Tukaram Chowk towards Mindewadi.
The incident took place around 7.15 pm on September 3 in front of Pack Time Company in Vasuli village. Police identified the suspects as Ram Hiraman Raut, Sahil Barku Jambhale, Aditya Kailas Nikhade and Pranav Malak Pachpute. All four are residents of Bhamboli and Vasuli in Khed tehsil.
Vehicles allegedly used for the stunt
According to the police complaint, the four suspects were driving a Toyota Fortuner (MH 14 NN 0005), a white Mahindra Scorpio (MH 14 EC 1658), a white Maruti Suzuki Swift (MH 14 HW 4708) and a white Hyundai Creta (MH 14 LL 2520).
Police said the vehicles were driven parallel and dangerously close to each other. The motorists allegedly made sudden changes in speed and stopped on the road while videos were being recorded using cameras and a drone.
The vehicles were later allegedly parked in the middle of the road in front of Pack Time Company. Police said this blocked the movement of vehicles coming from behind and caused a traffic jam.
The police also said the use of a drone violated an order issued by the Pimpri-Chinchwad Joint Commissioner of Police on August 20 prohibiting drone operations.
No injuries or property loss have been reported in the case.
Case registered four days after incident
The case was registered at 7.57 pm on September 7 based on a complaint by police constable Sampat Maruti Mule.
The four men have not been arrested so far.
Police have registered the case under Sections 285, 281, 223 and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and Sections 184 and 122 of the Motor Vehicles Act.
Probationary Police Sub-Inspector Tushar Khetmalis is investigating the case.
Incident comes after Pune-Bengaluru Highway car reel case
The Chakan incident comes days after Pimpri-Chinchwad Police took action against motorists accused of blocking the Pune-Bengaluru Highway near Bavdhan to shoot a luxury car video.
On August 27, a group allegedly stopped vehicles between the Sahyadri Mahindra showroom and Bhujbal Chowk to film newly purchased SUVs. Police said the vehicles were slowed and positioned on the busy highway to facilitate the shoot. A drone was also allegedly used to record the video.
Bavdhan Police later registered a case against four people. Two men were detained and two Toyota Fortuners allegedly used during the shoot were seized.
Police had said the stunt obstructed other motorists and created a dangerous situation on the highway.
The fresh case in Chakan has again drawn attention to motorists using busy public roads for social media content. Chakan MIDC sees heavy movement of cars, two-wheelers and commercial vehicles, making sudden road blockages a safety concern.
The latest case also raises questions over whether police action against such social media stunts is proving enough to deter similar incidents.
