Violence Erupts During Routine Traffic Patrol in Magarpatta
A routine Thursday in Pune’s Magarpatta neighborhood quickly spiraled out of control, turning Raskar Chowk into the center of a viral news story. What began as basic traffic control by the Hadapsar Traffic Division ended up with a police constable being assaulted in broad daylight, with dozens of people witnessing the chaos.
It started when Pune traffic police tried to rein in drivers moving against the regular flow. In the midst of their task, Tejasvi Keshav Sharma, a 31-year-old restaurant worker, got involved in a clash after allegedly throwing stones at a passing vehicle. The scene escalated when an elderly man tried to calm Sharma down, only to be shoved violently to the ground by him. That’s when Constable Raju Pawar stepped in, intending to protect the elderly gentleman and restore order.
Sharma’s reaction was immediate—and brutal. Instead of backing down, he lashed out, hurling insults and landing punches on Constable Pawar in front of stunned bystanders. The scuffle, caught entirely on camera, shows locals running forward to pull Sharma off the officer, finally restraining him long enough for the police backup to arrive on the scene.
Community Response, Police Action, and Rising Concerns
Within minutes, the area was swarming with concerned residents and more police officers. Sharma was subdued, arrested, and taken to Sassoon General Hospital for a medical check after his aggressive outburst. Meanwhile, video footage of the incident rapidly spread online, sparking debate about safety for officers and bystanders during day-to-day enforcement.
Sharma’s family later revealed he has a history of mental health problems, which added a layer of complexity to the investigation. Still, officers from the Hadapsar division are moving ahead with criminal charges. Under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita—the reformed Indian penal code—they have booked him on counts of assaulting a public servant and obstructing their duty.
The altercation serves as a reminder of just how unpredictable public spaces can become, especially when alcohol, stress, and traffic converge. For traffic police, situations like this highlight the thin line between routine law enforcement and sudden danger. As debates reignite over protecting police officers on duty, this episode in Pune has made the risks starkly visible to everyone watching online and on the streets.
