Drunk driver rams car into parking counter of Pune restaurant, kills valet assistant

Pune: An allegedly drunk driver rammed his car into the parking counter of a restaurant in Pune on Sunday afternoon, killing a valet assistant, a police official said.

The incident took place outside Toit restaurant in Kalyani Nagar and the driver Pratap Daingade (47) has arrested for culpable homicide and other offences under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, the Yerawada police station official said.

"Valet assistant Satendar Mandal, who was on duty at the restaurant's parking area, was grievously injured. He was declared dead on arrival at a nearby hospital," official said.

The driver, who works in a BPO in Yerawada, had come to the restaurant in an inebriated condition, he said.

"He ordered a beer. However, his behaviour was unruly as he was hopping from one table to another. The staff at the eatery requested him to behave properly and told him that since he is already drunk, they will not serve him more. The staff then asked him to leave," the official said.

"As he was not in his senses, the manager at the eatery advised him to hire a cab, instead of driving his car, which was at the parking lot of the restaurant," said Yerawada police station senior inspector Anjum Bagwan said.

An adamant Daingade sat in his car, reversed it and accelerated the vehicle while trying to take a turn, he said.

"He rammed the vehicle into the valet parking counter outside the eatery. Deceased Mandal was behind the counter. The impact was such that Mandal collapsed on his back and hit a large stone. The eatery management called the police and Daingade was taken into custody," Bagwan said.

He was sent for a medical check up to confirm the presence of alcohol, the official added.

Meanwhile, the Toit management, in a statement, said the incident took place outside the restaurant around 3 pm, resulting in the death of their colleague Satendar Mandal.

"We are extending complete cooperation to the police to help bring justice to the victim. The entire team at Toit deeply mourns this incident and we request that our privacy be respected during this difficult time," said the statement.