A 17-year old girl from the Nanded district of Marathwada migrated to Pune to learn folk dance and become a dancer in the famous tamasha troupe of Kunda Shinde Patil-Punerkar.

However, within minutes after reaching Pune, she died in a mishap on the Bhosari-Alandi road.

The tamasha troupe owner Kunda Shinde, who had gone to receive the aspiring dancer herself also suffered some injuries when a PMPML bus rammed into her motorbike. Neither Kunda nor the dead aspiring dancer, Laxmi Malappa Mailare, wore a helmet while riding.

Kunda owns a Tamasha Theatre at Charholi in the outskirts of Alandi. She was discharged after being treated for First Aid at Yashvantrao Chavan Memorial Hospital in Pimpri. Bus driver Chandrakant Devram Mutke (42) from Chakan has been arrested with regards to this.

Sub Inspector B V Mohite, who is investigating the case said, “Vitthal Nagoba Panchal, who is the manager of Kunda’s troupe, also hails from Laxmi’s native Sangnori village.

He had gone to his native place when he spotted Laxmi and recruited her. After talking to Kunda, he saw Laxmi off in a private bus on Tuesday night. Laxmi was to alight at Landewadi from where Kunda was to pick her up.”

Mohite said, “Laxmi got off the bus at Landewadi around 8.30 am on Wednesday and Kunda came to pick her up. Both of them rode Kunda’s motorbike back home, with Laxmi riding pillion. As they approached Wadmukhwadi, a PMPML bus hit their motorbike from the rear.”

According to Mohite, “such was the impact of the collision that Laxmi flung off the bike and landed on the road and suffered serious head injuries. Kunda too, fell down but escaped with bruises on knees and elbows.

On a tip off, we rushed to the spot and shifted Kunda and Laxmi to the hospital. However, Laxmi had died by the time she reached Yashvantrao Chavan Memorial Hospital.”