Pune road rage: Couple, toddler assaulted by car occupants in Wagholi
Synopsis
A Pune engineer, his wife, and their three-year-old son were allegedly assaulted by four car occupants — including two women — after a minor collision in Wagholi escalated into a violent road rage attack. The toddler was struck on the face, sustaining a lip injury. Four accused have been booked under the BNS and Motor Vehicles Act.
Key Takeaways
A family of three, including three-year-old Shivan , was allegedly assaulted during a road rage incident in Wagholi, Pune on Tuesday evening .
Complainant Shantanu Niranjan Shukla (35) , his wife Vartika , and their toddler were targeted after a minor collision near Soyrik Garden Chowk .
The child was allegedly struck on the face, sustaining a lip injury with bleeding ; Vartika was assaulted by two women from the car.
A case has been filed against four accused — including the WagonR driver and two women — under BNS Sections 115(2), 351(2), 352, 281 and Motor Vehicles Act Sections 184, 119, 177 .
The family received treatment at IMAX Hospital, Wagholi ; police investigation is ongoing.
A family of three, including a three-year-old child, was allegedly assaulted by occupants of a car following a road rage incident in the Wagholi area of Pune, Maharashtra, on Tuesday evening. Police have registered a case against four accused, including two women, under multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023 and the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988.
How the Incident Unfolded
The complainant, Shantanu Niranjan Shukla (35), an engineer and resident of Majestic City, Wagholi, had been shopping with his wife Vartika Shukla and their son Shivan at Decathlon, Wagholi. At around 7 pm, the family was returning home on their motorcycle when a car approaching from the Kharadi side allegedly collided with them near Soyrik Garden Chowk.
When the family urged the driver to exercise caution, the car's occupants allegedly responded with verbal abuse. According to the complaint, the altercation continued up to Wagholi Chowk, with the abusive behaviour persisting throughout.
Assault on the Family
Vartika Shukla reportedly photographed the vehicle during the dispute. Near Avhalwadi Phata Chowk, the car driver allegedly brought the vehicle to a deliberate halt, blocking the motorcycle's path and causing the family to fall onto the road.
One of the accused allegedly threatened Shantanu, saying, 'I will finish you off right here,' before physically assaulting him along with the driver. During the scuffle, the accused allegedly struck Shivan on the face, causing a lip injury and bleeding. When Vartika attempted to intervene, two women from the car allegedly got out and assaulted her by pulling her hair.
Medical Treatment and FIR
After the incident, the family approached the Wagholi Police Station. Officers initially directed them to seek medical attention; the family received treatment at IMAX Hospital, Wagholi before formally lodging a complaint.
A case has been registered under Sections 115(2), 351(2), 352, and 281 of the BNS, 2023, along with Sections 184, 119, and 177 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988. The four accused include the WagonR driver, another male occupant, and two women.
Investigation Underway
This comes amid growing concern over road rage incidents in urban Maharashtra, where a sharp rise in such cases has been noted in recent years. Police have confirmed that further investigation is underway. The involvement of a toddler and the severity of the alleged threats are likely to draw scrutiny over the speed of the police response and whether preventive action could have been taken sooner after the initial altercation.
Point of View
Where infrastructure has not kept pace with traffic density. What is notable here is the alleged targeting of a toddler and the explicit death threat, which elevate this beyond a routine altercation. The fact that the family was first directed to seek medical treatment before lodging a complaint raises questions about first-response protocols at the Wagholi Police Station. Swift charge-sheeting and visible follow-through will matter: road rage cases in Maharashtra have a history of stalling after initial registration.
NationPress
13 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What happened in the Pune Wagholi road rage incident?
On Tuesday evening, a family of three — including a three-year-old child — was allegedly assaulted by four occupants of a WagonR car after a minor collision near Soyrik Garden Chowk in Wagholi, Pune. The toddler was struck on the face, sustaining a lip injury, while the mother was assaulted by two women from the car.
Who are the accused in the Wagholi road rage case?
Police have registered a case against four individuals: the WagonR driver, another male occupant, and two women who were travelling in the car. Their identities have not been publicly disclosed in the complaint details released so far.
What charges have been filed in connection with the incident?
The case has been registered under Sections 115(2), 351(2), 352, and 281 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023, along with Sections 184, 119, and 177 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, covering offences related to assault, criminal intimidation, and rash driving.
Where did the family receive medical treatment?
The family was treated at IMAX Hospital in Wagholi after the assault. Police at the Wagholi Police Station had initially directed them to seek medical attention before formally recording the complaint.
What is the current status of the investigation?
Police have confirmed that further investigation into the matter is underway following the registration of the FIR at Wagholi Police Station.
