PMPML bus mows down 2 students

The bus was hired by the transport utility from a private operator. The driver of the bus,Kashinath Borkar (40),was arrested and PMPML has instructed the operator to fire the driver. With these two deaths,the number of deaths involving PMPML buses since April has reached 25.

Krushnan Nadar (17) and Aniket Pardeshi (17),both Class XI students of Sinhagad College of Commerce,were on way to college at 7.50 am on Monday on Nadar’s Activa. The two approached the Somji bus stop in Kondhwa Budruk when a Katraj-bound PMPML bus from Hadapsar had just started from there. Police inspector Satish Patil with Haveli police station under Pune rural police jurisdiction said,“As per the eyewitnesses,when the bus started,the boys were on the right side. Their two wheeler collided with the rear wheel of the bus and the two fell down. While Nadar died on the spot,Pardeshi was taken to Ruby Hospital where he was declared dead at 10 am after efforts to save him failed.”

Nadar was a resident of Solapur bazar while Pardeshi stayed in Kondhwa Khurd. Immediately after the accident,Borkar was booked and was put under arrest late in the evening under Sections 279 for rash driving,304A for causing death by negligence and 338 for hurting and endangering life of others. Sanjay Kusalkar,who heads the accident department of PMPML said,“As per our information these boys were trying to overtake the bus from right side and lost the control over the bike watching a vehicle approaching from front. We have taken action against the driver.”

Satish Kulkarni,joint managing director of PMPML,said,“We have ordered the private operator from whom we hired the bus to fire the driver.” The month of September has seen seven deaths in accidents involving PMPML accidents.

Bodies of both Nadar and Pardeshi were handed over to their family in the afternoon and evening respectively. PSI MK Patil with Haveli police station in investigating the case. Biju Pardeshi,Aniket’s uncle said,“The family is greatly aggrieved by the loss of a young son.”