Pune: A clinical research associate (27) was run over by a dumper running alongside her scooter after she lost balance and fell on the road at Baner around 12.30am on Thursday.The deceased has been identified as Tejal Tayade, a resident of Talasari in Thane district. It was the victim’s birthday on Thursday. She was riding with her friend, who also sustained injuries in the accident.The victim had come to Pune to attend to some work and was residing with her friend at Dange Chowk since June 16.Her friend, who is a software engineer, sustained injuries on her left hand, forehead and chin. She filed a complaint against the dumper driver with the Baner police.Assistant inspector Babasaheb Zarekar of the Baner police said, “We arrested the dumper driver on the charge of causing death by negligence.”The officer said the complainant has been staying as a paying guest in Thergaon for the past few months for her company’s work. “According to the complainant, the victim Tayade was her old friend. Tayade was working at a Mumbai-based research company as a clinical research associate. On June 16, Tayade came to Pune for her office work and was staying with the complainant,” the officer said.He said late Wednesday evening, Tayade, the complainant and their two friends went to a restaurant at Balewadi to celebrate Tayade’s birthday. “They cut the cake at 12am on Thursday and headed for Thergaon around 12.30am. Tayade was driving the complainant’s scooter as the latter rode pillion,” he said.Zarekar said when they reached Ganesh Datta Temple Chowk in Baner, a dumper was overtaking their scooter. “The complainant told us that when the dumper reached near their scooter, Tayade lost her balance and both of them fell off. Tayade came under the rear wheels of the dumper and got stuck under it. The complainant had a narrow escape in the accident,” Zarekar said.He said the dumper driver left the vehicle at the spot and fled. “Their friends and some locals took Tayade to a nearby private hospital. The complainant went to the hospital with a friend. Tayade succumbed to the injuries during the treatment,” he said. “The road where the accident happened is uneven. The complainant, however, did not know how her friend lost balance all of a sudden. Our investigations are on,” Zarekar said.
