Citizens Protest to be held in Pune; Demanding Justice For Ashwini Koshta, Aneesh Awadhiya, Victims Of Porsche Accident Case
Citizens Protest to be held in Pune
The protest is scheduled to take place from 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM at Mahatma Jyotiba Phule Statue, opposite PMC Bhavan in Shivajinagar, Pune.
22 May 2024
On 26th May, 2024, over 900 citizens in Pune will unite, organised by an NGO called the St. Broseph Foundation, a Bangalore-based NGO with multiple locations across India, to protest the tragic deaths of Ashwini Koshta and Aneesh Awadhiya.
The protest is organised by the Pune Chapter of the foundation and will be led by prominent social activist Dushyant Dubey. The event aims to address the incident in which a teenage driver speeding a Porsche fatally struck the two victims on 19th May, 2024, in Kalyani Nagar, Pune.
Details of the Incident
Ashwini Koshta and Aneesh Awadhiya, both aged 24, were IT engineers originally from Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh. They had relocated to Pune for work and were cherished members of their families and communities. Their sudden and tragic deaths have sent shockwaves throughout the nation, highlighting issues of road safety and justice.
The driver responsible for the accident is from an affluent and well-off background. This has sparked outrage among citizens who fear that the influence of wealth and social status might enable the accused to evade appropriate legal consequences and punishment for his crime. The incident has galvanised public demand for stricter legal action and accountability.
Objectives of the Protest
The protest is scheduled to take place from 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM at their updated location i.e. Mahatma Jyotiba Phule Statue, opposite PMC Bhavan in Shivajinagar, Pune. It will begin with floral tributes to Ashwini and Aneesh. Following the tributes, participants will march to voice their demands, which include:
1. Immediate Arrest of the Driver: They call for the immediate arrest and jailing of the driver, pending trial, following the FIR amendment. The aim is to prevent the accused from leveraging his social status to delay or avoid legal proceedings.
2. Trial as an Adult: Protesters insist that the driver, despite being a juvenile, should be tried as an adult under the provisions of the Juvenile Justice Act (2015), due to the grave nature of the crime. This demand strongly emphasises the need for justice that reflects the seriousness of the offence and not another mere mishap.
3. Compensation for Families: They seek compensation from the state government for the bereaved families of Ashwini and Aneesh, to provide financial support during this extremely difficult time that they have to face.
4. Demand for the Most Deadlocked Legal Case: This demand is to ensure that the police construct a robust case substantiating the IPC Section 304 (Culpable Homicide Not Amounting to Murder) charges, which enables the driver to receive the maximum possible sentence, and prevents him from dodging the bullet of law.
5. Call for an Impartial Public Prosecutor: For the government to appoint a highly skilled Public Prosecutor who remains impartial and resistant to any influence from the affluent accused, as there is a massive possibility of abuse of power and loss of justice through loopholes.
Additionally, the protesters are calling for accountability measures against the driver’s father and the owner of the bar where the underage driver was served alcohol. They demand the immediate revocation and cancellation of the bar’s licence, highlighting the role of such establishments in contributing to the tragedy.
Statements from the St. Broseph Foundation
Dushyant Dubey, the founder of the St. Broseph Foundation, has been quite vocal about the need for justice. In his statement, Dubey asserted, “We cannot take this lying down. Just because the driver is from an affluent background should not mean he gets to exploit the legal system and get away with killing two young people. This will set a very bad precedent in society and people will lose their trust in the legal system. We demand that the government and the judiciary do the right thing and take appropriate steps.”
Dubey highlighted the broader implications of the case, stressing that it is not merely about punishing the individual responsible but also about restoring public faith in the legal system and ensuring that justice is served irrespective of social status.
Planned Actions Post-Protest
Following the protest in Pune, a delegation of participants have planned to travel to Mumbai to submit a memorandum of their demands to Shri Devendra Fadnavis, the Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra. This memorandum will outline their requests and the need for systemic reforms to prevent such incidents from occurring in the future. The protesters, while mourning the loss of Ashwini and Aneesh, are also advocating for broader legislative and policy changes to enhance road safety and ensure stringent consequences for those who violate the law. Their collective voice aims to push for reforms that will protect all citizens, regardless of socio-economic background.
Conclusion
The protest organised by the St. Broseph Foundation exemplifies the power of community activism in the pursuit of justice. As the citizens of Pune prepare to rally together on 26th May, 2024, their unified demand is clear: justice for Ashwini Koshta and Aneesh Awadhiya. Their efforts seek not only to hold the guilty accountable but also to foster a legal system that treats all individuals equally. Through their persistent advocacy and efforts to represent the public sentiment.
They hope to bring about meaningful change that will prevent future tragedies and uphold the principles of justice, equity and reforming society by catering to citizen welfare and voicing out their concerns and disdain regarding such matters.
For any queries regarding the march, please contact: 6363799599 or 9019417342
