Pandharinath Phadke (Pandhari Sheth Phadke), the president of the Bullock Cart Racing Association, has passed away. He was renowned throughout Maharashtra as the king of bullock cart racing and was also known as the Gold Man. Pandhari Sheth Phadke's demise, following a brief illness, has sent shockwaves through Panvel and its surrounding areas.
Pandharinath Phadke, a resident of Panvel, was a lover of bullock cart racing. He was also known as the Goldman of Vihighar, Panvel. He was wearing not a tola but a kilo of gold in his hands and neck, and that is why he was also referred to as Goldman. He was also often seen dancing on the top or stage of the car during bullock cart races. Not only this, several albums (songs) based on him have also been released.
According to reports, Pandharisheth Phadke was also arrested in connection with the Ambernath firing case a few years ago. A meeting was held at Anandnagar in Ambernath to resolve the dispute between the two groups over the bullock cart race. The incident took place when Pandharisheth Phadke opened fire on Rahul Patil's group. The incident was also caught on a mobile camera, and the video went viral.