Senseless Tragedy: Drunk Driver Kills Valet in Pune's Koregaon Park

The vibrant nightlife of Pune’s Koregaon Park, a place usually bustling with life and laughter, was shattered in the early hours of Sunday morning by a truly senseless act. What should have been another ordinary, albeit late, shift for a dedicated valet attendant turned into an unimaginable tragedy when a high-speed Mercedes-Benz, driven by an allegedly intoxicated IT professional, ploughed into a parking area, claiming a life and injuring others.

It was around 1:30 AM, as many were winding down their weekend evenings, that 37-year-old Kirti Vyas, an IT professional, lost control of her luxury vehicle. She was behind the wheel of a Mercedes-Benz and, according to initial reports and later confirmed by a preliminary medical examination, heavily under the influence of alcohol. The car, seemingly at an alarming speed, veered sharply, crashing right into the parking zone situated outside popular establishments like The Hub and Social pubs.

The impact was devastating. Pravin Satpute, a 40-year-old valet attendant, was caught directly in the path of the speeding vehicle. He sustained critical injuries and, heartbreakingly, succumbed to them at a local hospital. It's truly a gut-wrenching thought – someone just doing their job, trying to make an honest living, snatched away in an instant. The chaos didn't stop there; two other individuals, including another valet attendant and a passerby, also suffered injuries in the terrifying ordeal.

Eyewitnesses described a scene of absolute horror and confusion. The screech of tires, the crunch of metal, and then the screams. In the immediate aftermath, there was an attempt by the driver, Vyas, to flee the scene, a desperate and misguided act that was quickly thwarted by alert onlookers. They managed to stop her before the police arrived to take her into custody. This prompt action from the public was crucial, preventing further potential harm and ensuring accountability.

The police have since registered a case against Kirti Vyas, invoking serious sections of the Indian Penal Code, including 304A for causing death by negligence, 279 for rash driving, and 337 and 338 for causing hurt and grievous hurt by act endangering life or personal safety of others, alongside relevant sections of the Motor Vehicles Act, specifically 185, which addresses drunk driving. Her blood sample was, of course, taken for further analysis, with the initial reports tragically confirming a significant presence of alcohol.

This incident, sadly, serves as yet another stark reminder of the utterly devastating consequences of drunk driving. It’s a completely avoidable tragedy, a ripple effect of one person's reckless decision, that has left a family grieving and a community in shock. The investigation continues, but the pain and loss for Pravin Satpute’s loved ones are immeasurable.