Traffic cop dies after speeding car rams into auto he was travelling in

The accident took place on Thursday morning when traffic constable Praveen Laxman Sonawane was taking the rickshaw driver to the Pimpri traffic division for violating traffic rules

A 32-year-old traffic police constable Praveen Laxman Sonawane, attached with the Pimpri traffic division, became a victim of rash driving after a car knocked down the rickshaw he was commuting in. The accident took place in front of the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation Commissioner’s bungalow at KSB Chowk on Thursday morning at around 11.30am 

Tragic end: The auto in which Praveen Sonawane was travelling when the car rammed into them

Cops have detained the car driver, Sunder Rokade, and a case of rash and negligent driving has been filed against him. The auto driver has reportedly gone missing and police are trying to track him down.

Assistant Commissioner of Police Mahendra Rokade, said, “Praveen had reported for duty at the KSB Chowk on Thursday morning and had stopped an auto whose RTO registration number is MH12 HC 5641 for flouting traffic norms. He was taking the auto to the Pimpri traffic division for further legal action when the incident took place.”
“A speeding car with the RTO registration number MH14 CC 1719 hit the auto in which he was sitting in. The auto turned turtle and Praveen was seriously injured. Some commuters and other policemen immediately admitted him to the Yashwantrao Chavan Memorial (YCM) hospital but he was declared dead on arrival by the doctors,” the ACP added.

Soon after the mishap, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Zone III) Rajendra Mane, ACP (Chatuhshrungi Division) Smita Patil, ACP (Traffic) Mahendra Rokade, Senior Police Inspector B B Mudiraj of Pimpri police station and Police Inspector M K Akolkar of Pimpri Traffic division visited the spot.

Praveen was recruited in the police department four years before he was transferred to the traffic regulation branch after his stint in the police headquarters. He had earlier served in the Aundh and Chatuhshrungi traffic divisions. He was posted at the Pimpri traffic division only six months ago.

Praveen Sonawane

The deceased is survived by his mother, brother and wife. His late father has also served in the police department while his elder brother, Ravi, also works in the police department.

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