In this, at least two toddlers and one man died on December 23, as the speeding dumper veered to the footpath and crushed nine sleeping laborers in Pune, India. The accident happened around 1 am IST at Wagholi, which is near Kesnand Phata. According to initial reports, the driver of the truck, reportedly under the influence, lost control of his vehicle, which killed three of them on the spot, whereas six received severe injuries.
The dumper, belonging to Buildwell Enterprises, was headed from Pune to Wagholi when the incident occurred. Locals said over a dozen labourers had gathered at the spot on December 22 for work at various construction sites in the area.
Local authorities have since launched an investigation into the tragic event. The victims are one-year-old Vaibhavi Ritesh Pawar, her two-year-old brother, Vaibhav Ritesh Pawar, and 30-year-old Rinesh N. Pawar. All three were said to be sleeping together when the dumper struck them.
Locals immediately reached the spot and, after serving the injured, got the six victims admitted to a nearby hospital. The police later reached the spot, seized the dumper, and removed the footpath.
The incident has sparked outrage on social media, where several users vent their ire against the administration for negligence. A user joked sarcastically, “Now will the administration ask the driver to copy-paste the same essay they give on different topics?” Another user raged at the state of traffic violations in Wagholi, questioning, “Why are we paying taxes for your salary if you should be sleeping on the footpath? Perhaps then some rules might actually be enforced.”
