Viral Video of Alleged Mob Attack on IT Engineer in Mulshi Turns Out to Be a Misunderstanding, Say Pune Rural Police
Mulshi, 4th October 2024: A few days ago, a video of an IT engineer allegedly being attacked by a mob in Pune District went viral. In the video, people were seen attempting to stop his car past midnight and even appeared to attack it. A case was registered with the Pune Rural Police Force, and the complainant alleged that the police had shown negligence in handling the matter. However, the Pune Rural Police have since clarified that the incident was due to a major misunderstanding, and those who seemed to be attacking the car were not a mob but rather “protectors of the village.”
The incident occurred on 29th September at 1 AM. An IT engineer named Ravi Karnani and his family were traveling from Lavale to Nande in Mulshi Taluka when several people armed with wooden sticks attempted to stop them. Suspecting an attack, Karnani did not stop; instead, he drove away. However, two individuals on a KTM bike followed and tried to stop his car by hitting it with sticks. This caused panic inside the car, leading Karnani to accelerate, after which the two individuals ceased their pursuit. The entire incident was recorded on the car’s dashcam, and the footage later went viral. Karnani filed a complaint at Paud Police Station, and a case was registered.
Upon investigation, the police discovered the true situation, which was a misunderstanding that could have been avoided. According to Senior Police Inspector Santosh Girigosavi, in charge of Paud Police Station, there had been sightings of drones in Mulshi and Maval Talukas—areas known for tourism—which had led to confusion and panic among local villagers for the past 15 days. In response, Pune Rural Police collaborated with the villagers to form a “Gram Suraksha Dal” (Village Protection Force) to increase patrolling.
On the night of 28th September, the police and Gram Suraksha Dal received calls about drone sightings, and an investigation was underway when a white car appeared. The Gram Suraksha Dal, along with the police, tried to stop the vehicle, but it did not stop for some reason. Suspecting something suspicious, the members attempted to stop it further. Karnani, the IT engineer, then filed a complaint, and a case was registered. The individuals who tried to stop the car were also detained for investigation. However, after questioning, it became evident that the entire situation was a significant misunderstanding.
Senior Police Inspector Santosh Girigosavi stated, “This all happened due to a big misunderstanding between complainant Karnani and members of the Gram Suraksha Dal. The police did their job and managed to identify the issue, and a case has been registered.” Regarding the growing sense of panic in Maval and Mulshi Talukas, he added, “There is a panic situation in Mulshi and Maval Talukas. I would advise tourists to avoid internal and smaller roads at midnight for the next few days.”
