Pune Police have arrested the father of a 17-year-old boy involved in a fatal car accident that resulted in the deaths of two individuals. The arrest was made in Maharashtra’s Aurangabad. Additionally, the owners of two bars where the minor was served alcohol have been detained.
The accident occurred in the early hours of Sunday morning in Pune’s Kalyani Nagar area. Police reports indicate that the luxury Porsche driven by the 17-year-old collided with a motorcycle, instantly killing Anis Awadhiya and Ashwini Koshta. CCTV footage revealed the car was traveling at an estimated speed of 200 kmph in a narrow lane.
The case has been transferred to the Pune Police’s crime branch. The boy’s father has been charged under sections 75 and 77 of the Juvenile Justice Act, which pertain to willful neglect of a child and providing intoxicating substances to a minor.
Anis Awadhiya and Ashwini Koshta, both IT engineers, were returning from a get-together around 2:15 am when their bike was hit from behind by the speeding Porsche. Both died on the spot.
Pune Commissioner of Police Amitesh Kumar stated that the minor had been celebrating his class 12 results at a local pub, where he was seen consuming alcohol before the crash. The legal drinking age in Maharashtra is 25, making it illegal for the establishment to serve him. The bar owners now face charges for serving alcohol to a minor.
Public outcry has intensified following the Juvenile Justice Board’s decision to grant the minor bail just 15 hours after his detention. The board imposed rehabilitative conditions, including mandatory counseling, a de-addiction program, and a 300-word essay on road safety. This lenient response has been widely criticized given the accident’s severity.
In response, Pune Police have filed an application with the sessions court to try the juvenile as an adult, arguing that the crime’s gravity warrants harsher judicial scrutiny. “We have taken yesterday’s incident seriously. We have taken action under section 304 of IPC, which is a non-bailable section as it was a heinous crime,” said Commissioner Kumar.
Legal action has also been initiated against the pub where the minor was seen drinking. The proprietors face serious charges for their role in providing alcohol to the minor, contributing to the tragic events that followed.
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