69-Year-Old Pedestrian Killed After Auto Collision Sends Him into Deep Hole

On the afternoon of 17 October, a 69‑year‑old resident of Yerwada, Pune, met a fatal end after an auto‑rickshaw collided with him near the Chitra Chowk vegetable market. The impact knocked the man, identified as Pradeep Paradeshi, into an 8‑10 foot deep construction pit that had been opened for a municipal drainage line.

Police reports indicate that the excavation had been ongoing for about fifteen days, with temporary barricades placed to cordon off the area. Nevertheless, the open trench proved deadly when the auto‑rickshaw struck Paradeshi, causing him to lose footing and fall.

He was transported to Shubankar Hospital, where he was pronounced dead later that evening. Senior Inspector Yuvraj Nandre of Lakshmi Nagar police station received an MLC report on 18 October, initially believing the incident involved a vehicle slipping into the hole. Subsequent questioning revealed the auto‑rickshaw hit the pedestrian first.

The victim’s family has been asked to file a formal police complaint, which has not yet been registered. The incident underscores the urgent need for more rigorous safety enforcement at public works sites.