Man dies week after auto knocked him down

The Wanwadi police have registered a case against an unidentified auto rickshaw driver, who allegedly knocked down an elderly pedestrian and then pretending to take him to a hospital dumped him at a secluded place later.

The pedestrian identified as Latif Shaikh (55), a resident of Mohammadwadi Road, was found the next morning and rushed to hospital by locals. He succumbed to his injuries seven days after the accident.

The incident took place at Mohammadwadi Road, Hadapsar, on October 1, when the auto driver allegedly banged Shaikh and later deserted him despite the serious injuries sustained by him. u00a0Some residents from the area saw Shaikh lying wounded in the backyard of Sane Guruji School, Hadapsar, in the morning and rushed him to the hospital.

"We had received information of the accident on October 2, and later lodged a case against the unknown auto rickshaw driver," said PSI P D Thorat of Wanwadi police station. He said, "As per the information provided by some eyewitnesses, an auto rickshaw driver had allegedly mowed down Shaikh, while he was walking on the road at 10 pm on October 1.

Shaikh had sustained severe injuries in the accident. The driver told the gathered people that he would take him to the hospital in his rickshaw and with the assistance of the people, he put Shaikh in the rickshaw and drove away from the spot."

Thorat said that in the morning some residents saw Shaikh lying in a semiconscious state and rushed him to the Sassoon Hospital. Shaikh succumbed to his injuries on Monday.

"We have intensified the search for the auto rickshaw driver and a team has been formed to nab him. A case has been registered under sections 279, 304 (A) of the IPC and relevant sections of the Motor Vehicle Act," said Thorat. u00a0