In a shocking development in the Hinjawadi bus fire incident, in which four people were charred to death, it has come to light that the driver, identified as Janardan Hambardikar, had allegedly "pre-meditated" the incident, a senior police official of Pimpri Chinchwad said on Thursday.
According to Senior Police Inspector Kanhaiya Thorat of the Hinjawadi Police Station, Hambardikar allegedly placed highly inflammable chemicals under his seat and deliberately set the vehicle ablaze, attempting to disguise it as an accident.
Also Read | Pune Bus Fire: Four Killed, Several Injured After Minibus Catches Fire in Hinjewadi Area.
Police investigations suggest that Hambardikar harboured grievances against his colleagues and was enraged over not receiving his salary on time, the lack of a Diwali bonus, extra work, and daily disputes with his co-workers. This led him to orchestrate the incident as an act of revenge.
The fire, which occurred on Wednesday, resulted in the deaths of four employees of Vyoma Graphics, based in the Hinjawadi area of Pune district. Six others sustained injuries when the company minibus caught fire. Tragically, the emergency exit door at the rear of the bus could not be opened, contributing to the fatalities.
The victims, identified as Shankar Shinde, Rajan Chavan, Gurudas Lokare, and Subhash Bhosale, were among the 14 employees being transported from Warje to Hinjawadi. Following these revelations, the Pimpri Chinchwad Police have registered an FIR against Hambardikar, charging him under Sections 103 and 105 of the BNS. The accused has been arrested, and further investigations are underway.