04 April,2011 06:07 AM IST | | Kaumudi Gurjar
Barely minutes after the Indian team claimed the World Cup, a small-scale businessman lost his life in an accident on fans-flooded Laxmi Road after his bike was knocked down by a PMPML bus. The incident took place near Chitrashala Chowk at 10.45 pm on Saturday.
The victim identified as Bharat Gajanan Karde (40) from Kasba Peth, had a utensils-making workshop in Bohri Lane.u00a0The Vishrambaug Police said Karade had stepped out to buy dinner from a restaurant in Chitrashala Chowk to celebrate India's victory.
The police said he was on his way to Chitrashala chowk from Peshwai Chowk. Karade had difficulty navigating his bike through the road that was swarming with over-enthusiastic fans. He was then hit by a PMPML bus plying on the Pune railway station ufffd Dhayri route. The impact of the collision was so severe that he came under the wheel and was dragged for 15 to 20 feet along with the bus.
This was noticed by one of the fans and as the crowd started gathering the frightened PMPML driver Ulhas Ramchandra Sarfalle (36) of Katraj rushed to the nearby police chowky and informed the cops about the incident.
Police Sub-Inspector A S Hatkar immediately rushed Karde to the nearby hospital but he was declared dead.
Hatkar said Sarfalle was arrested for negligent driving. He was produced in the court and remanded in magisterial custody.
