Pune: Residents’ demand to repair the battered Nande-Mhalunge Road gained tragic urgency when a 10-year-old boy died after he came under the wheels of a truck while going for tuition on his father’s bike around 6pm on Monday.Police identified the boy as Viraj Sandip Patole, a resident of Rajyog Society in Maan, Hinjewadi. He was riding with his father, Sandip Patole (38), and younger sister, Swara (8), when the bike fell after being brushed by the truck. Both suffered minor injuries in the accident and were discharged after preliminary treatment.Sandip Patole registered a complaint with Bavdhan police on Tuesday morning. A fortnight ago, some residents had staged a protest demanding immediate repair of the road.Sarang Thakare, sub-inspector with Bavdhan police, told TOI that the accident occurred when Patole was taking his children to a tuition class in a housing society along Nande-Mhalunge Road. “There are medians on the road. However, about 100m of one side of the road is under litigation. The accident occurred on this stretch where traffic moves in a single lane,” he said.According to the complaint, the truck brushed Patole’s motorcycle, causing him to lose balance. All three fell from the motorcycle. “The boy died as the truck ran over him. Its driver abandoned the vehicle and fled. The truck was empty and headed towards Mhalunge. We have sent a notice to the truck driver,” Thakare said.Arvind Pawar, senior inspector of the Bavdhan police, told TOI, “Police were verifying the complainant’s claim that the truck had hit the motorcycle. The stretch of the road is full of potholes.”He said, “The condition of Nande-Mhalunge Road has been poor. We have written to Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC), requesting urgent repair of the road.”Omprakash Divate, additional commissioner of PMC, said, “The civic body has received a request to repair the road and a meeting was held at the mayor’s office on Monday. The civic administration has planned repairs for this stretch.”Thakare said the Patoles are originally from Sangli. Sandip Patole works for a private company in Pune. The boy’s body was taken to Sangli for the last rites on Tuesday.
