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Angry driver set minibus on fire, four employees died

Harshad Dewangan 21 March 2025

Pune A shocking incident has come to light in Pune, Maharashtra, where a driver of a private company, angry over salary cut, set a mini bus on fire. Four employees were burnt to death in this accident, while six others were seriously injured.

This accident took place on March 19 in Hinjawadi police station area of Pune. At 7:30 am, a mini bus of a graphics company suddenly caught fire. A total of 14 employees were travelling in the bus, out of which four died on the spot and six others were seriously injured. Other employees were able to save their lives by jumping from the bus.

The deceased have been identified as Shankar Shinde (63), Rajan Chavan (42), Gurudas Lokare (45) and Subhash Bhosale (44). As soon as the information of the accident was received, the police reached the spot and the injured were admitted to the hospital. All are undergoing treatment in the ICU.

Driver's conspiracy revealed
In the initial investigation, the cause of the fire was believed to be a short circuit, but later investigation revealed new things. The police suspected the mini bus driver Janardan Hambardikar because he was repeatedly pretending to faint and had minor injuries on his body.

When the police interrogated him strictly, the driver confessed to the crime. He told that he was angry with the company's employees for misbehavior, salary cuts and not getting bonus. To take revenge for this, he hatched a conspiracy to set the mini bus on fire.

How was the fire set?
The accused driver had already purchased benzene (flammable chemical) and also kept mopping cloths in the bus. As soon as the mini bus reached Hinjawadi Phase One area, he set the clothes on fire, due to which the entire bus caught fire.

Police action
Senior Police Inspector Kanhaiya Thorat said that this was not an accident but a deliberate conspiracy. A case has been registered against the accused under sections 103 and 109 of the Indian Penal Code. However, he is currently absconding and the police are searching for him.