Pune: Hundreds Join Flashlight March in Hinjawadi to Honor 11-Year-Old Girl Killed in Road Tragedy
Pune: Hundreds Join Flashlight March in Hinjawadi to Honor 11-Year-Old Girl Killed in Road Tragedy
In a heart-wrenching display of solidarity and grief, over 500 residents of Joyville Housing Society in Hinjawadi came together recently to hold a flashlight march in memory of 11-year-old Pratyusha Borate, who tragically lost her life in a horrific road accident. The march, a symbol of both mourning and protest, echoed the community’s demand for stricter road safety and accountability.
The devastating incident occurred last Tuesday in Hinjawadi Phase II, when Pratyusha and her mother were out together, preparing for the upcoming Ganesh festival. According to her father, Santosh Borate, the mother-daughter duo had stopped briefly to choose a Ganesh idol. In a matter of seconds, their lives were upended—a speeding cement mixer truck rammed into their stationary scooter, causing a brutal impact that killed young Pratyusha on the spot and left her mother with serious injuries.
Flash Light March Held In Memory Of 11-Year-Old Girl Who Died In Hinjawadi Road Accident pic.twitter.com/9tcUvoGdqY
— Maharashtra News (@MahaNews25) August 19, 2025
Pratyusha, a bright Class V student from Maan village near Hinjawadi, was riding pillion on the scooter her mother was driving when the accident happened. The vehicle was hit from behind during hours when heavy vehicle movement is restricted under the Pimpri-Chinchwad Police Commissionerate (PCPC) rules—specifically from 8 am to 12 pm and again from 4 pm to 10 pm. The crash occurred around 4:30 pm, well within this restricted time slot, raising serious concerns about enforcement and compliance.
Eyewitnesses described the truck driver’s behavior as reckless and inhumane. After causing the fatal crash, he allegedly attempted to flee the scene. Shocked and enraged, bystanders chased down the vehicle, damaged its windscreen, and eventually forced the driver to abandon the truck. He later fled but was tracked down and arrested by Hinjawadi police. The driver has been identified as 25-year-old Farhan Munnu Shaikh, a native of Bihar. He now faces charges of culpable homicide not amounting to murder.
Even as the legal process unfolds, the grieving parents are raising difficult questions. They believe the accident could have been avoided if traffic rules were enforced properly. While they acknowledge that no punishment will bring back their daughter, they are demanding strong action against all responsible parties, insisting that Pratyusha deserves justice.
Residents are calling for stricter regulation of heavy vehicle movement, especially in residential and school zones. The flashlight march served not just as a tribute to a young life lost too soon, but also as a collective plea for change—so that no other child meets a similar fate on Pune’s roads.
