Pune (Maharashtra), Sep 9 (IANS): Another case of drunken driving has shocked Pune after a speeding tempo driver allegedly mowed down at least four persons, killing a Maharashtra Navirman Sena leader’s wife and injuring the rest, a police official said here on Monday.

The accident took place around 9.15 p.m. at the Karishma Chowk in the Paudphata area of the city when the Ganeshosav celebrations were in full swing and people were crowding the roads.

At that time a speeding tempo, with Ashish Pawar at the wheel, rammed into at least two two-wheelers, one autorickshaw and another parked vehicle, mowing down around four persons, as it screeched to a halt at the signal, said Alankar Police Station Investigating Officer Swapnali Gaikwad.

“Of the casualties, two are still in hospital and one is improving, while a couple of others in a car suffered minor injuries, and all the vehicles were also damaged. We have arrested the accused and he will be produced before the Shivajinagar Court later today,” Gaikwad told IANS.

A local eyewitness Raju Dhanawade said that the roads were full of people and the tempo knocked down the two-wheeler of local MNS chief Shrikant Amrale and his wife Gitanjali riding pillion, and ran over her, causing very serious injuries.

“She was rushed to a nearby hospital where she succumbed to her wounds at around 1.30 a.m. The tempo driver was reportedly drunk at the time of the tragedy, and further investigations are underway,” said Gaikwad.

Other shocked eyewitnesses said that on seeing the accident, many of the locals ran to the tempo, dragged out the driver and thrashed him before the Alankar Police team rushed there and took him in their charge.

This is another in a series of drunk-and-drive or hit-and-run cases that have occurred in different parts of the state, including the infamous Porsche incident of May 19, when a minor rich brat killed two techies while speeding his car in Kalyani Nagar at a speed of over 200 kmph before crashing to a halt.