The Porsche car, allegedly driven by a drunk 17-year-old, hit and killed two IT professionals in Kalyani Nagar early Sunday morning.
The tragic incident involving a Porsche car, allegedly driven by a 17-year-old under the influence, has resulted in the deaths of two IT professionals in Pune’s Kalyani Nagar area. This incident has ignited public outrage and prompted Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to promise strict action against the teenager. The crash occurred early Sunday morning, and witnesses reported the severity of the accident, with one victim being thrown 20 feet into the air and the other flung into a parked car.
Mr. Fadnavis has criticized the Juvenile Justice Board’s “lenient” punishment for the teen, which included writing a 300-word essay on accidents, working with traffic police for 15 days, and undergoing counseling for his drinking. “How can the Juvenile Justice (JJ) Board give such an order?” he questioned, expressing his dissatisfaction with the decision.
The minor, the son of a prominent realtor in Pune, was reportedly drinking with friends at a bar before the crash. The police have arrested the bar owners for serving alcohol to underage patrons, as the legal drinking age in Maharashtra is 25. The Deputy Chief Minister emphasized that, according to the Nirbhaya case guidelines, anyone above 16 years old involved in heinous crimes should be treated as an adult.
Following the incident, the teen was granted bail within 15 hours, further fueling public anger. His father has been arrested under sections of the Juvenile Justice Act related to willful neglect and supplying intoxicating substances to a child.
“We have asked the district court to change the decision made by the Juvenile Justice (JJ) Board. There is a huge public outrage. I have taken stock of the investigation updates till now,” Mr. Fadnavis stated. He also announced measures to prevent similar incidents in the future, including increased enforcement against pubs violating age-related laws and stricter drink-driving checks.
The incident has also led to political disputes, with Uddhav Thackeray camp leader Sanjay Raut questioning the Pune Police’s response time. However, Pune Police Commissioner Amitesh Kumar defended the police actions, stating that he had sought permission to try the minor as an adult due to the heinous nature of the crime, but the request was denied by the board. The police have now approached the District Court for further action.
Commissioner Kumar challenged critics to provide evidence of any undue influence on the police’s handling of the case. The police have also arrested the owner of Cosie Bar for allegedly serving alcohol to minors.
In an interview with NDTV, Mr. Kumar mentioned that the police are building a “watertight case” against the teen, aiming to prove culpable homicide not amounting to murder, irrespective of the blood report results.