Pune Lawyer Loses Life in Head-On Crash with Wrong-Side Vehicle
Pune Lawyer Loses Life in Head-On Crash with Wrong-Side Vehicle
Family Suspects Drunk Driving
Pune, 16th May – A quiet Wednesday afternoon turned tragic for a Pune family when 35-year-old lawyer Aniket Arun Bhalerao lost his life in a horrific road accident caused by a speeding SUV driving on the wrong side of the road. The incident occurred around 4:30 PM near the Tarangan Hotel on the Panshet-Pune Road in Manerwadi.
According to the police complaint filed by his uncle, Shantaram Gopal Bhalerao (52), Aniket was returning home to Wardade village in Haveli taluka after purchasing vegetables from Khanapur when a Toyota Fortuner (MH 14 EA 0051) rammed into his motorcycle head-on. The SUV was reportedly traveling at high speed on the wrong side of the road.
Aniket, who practiced law at the Pune District Court in Shivajinagar, suffered critical injuries to his head, knees, and left arm. He was first rushed to the Khanapur Primary Health Centre, but due to the severity of his condition, he was transferred to a private hospital in Pune, where doctors pronounced him dead.
Eyewitnesses and Aniket’s family members identified the SUV’s driver as Raj Choraghe. They alleged that he was under the influence of alcohol at the time of the crash and that a young woman was also in the car. Both individuals fled the scene immediately after the collision. CCTV footage later showed Choraghe arriving at a private hospital for treatment.
Inspector Sachin Wangde of Haveli Police Station confirmed that both the two-wheeler and the SUV were seized at the scene. “We were notified immediately after the accident and took prompt action. The driver is currently under medical care at a private hospital. As there is suspicion of alcohol consumption, we have collected his blood samples and are awaiting the results. Once he is discharged, we will move forward with the arrest,” Wangde said.
A case has been registered against Choraghe under relevant sections, and police continue their investigation. The incident has sparked outrage in the local community, with many demanding stricter enforcement against drunk and reckless driving.
