Pune: A 30-year-old car driver died of a heart attack while driving on the Pune-Solapur highway near Urali Kanchan, about 29km from Pune, on Wednesday morning.Two women who had taken a lift in his car were injured after the vehicle hit an electricity pole and overturned. The deceased was identified as Pramod Prakash Mahant (30), a resident of Akkalkot in Solapur district. A 41-year-old woman, who was travelling in Mahant’s car, lodged a complaint with the Urali Kanchan police.An officer from Urali Kanchan police said the complainant and her friend work at a private company in Daund taluka. They commute to work from Urali Kanchan either by public transport or by taking a lift. “On Wednesday around 7am, they got into Mahant’s car. After driving some distance, Mahant asked them if there was a pharmacy on the way as he wanted to buy some tablets.”The complainant told police that moments later, she noticed Mahant’s head slumped over the steering wheel. The car veered to the left, hit an electricity pole along the highway and overturned before landing back on its wheels. “Locals took the three to a nearby hospital, where doctors declared Mahant dead. The complainant’s colleague sustained injuries to her head and received 17 stitches,” the officer said.The police have registered a case of causing death by negligence against the driver.
