Seven injured as row over washing a vehicle during water cut turns violent in Pune's Charholi society

A quarrel over water use in a housing society in Charholi, Pune, on Tuesday turned into a fight between two families. Seven people were injured. Water supply is currently being cut in the area, and the dispute arose in the middle of that.

The incident took place at around 10.30 am on Tuesday. A member of the society saw an autorickshaw driver washing his vehicle with a pipe connected to the society's common borewell, and objected. Alandi police have registered two cross complaints, meaning each side has complained against the other.

Sub-inspector Ajit Kakade said the society member told the 46-year-old driver to wash the vehicle with a bucket instead of the pipe. According to the member's complaint, when he objected, the driver and his family abused him and also assaulted other residents of the society.

The driver's account is the opposite. He says he was washing the vehicle with a bucket only, when five members of the society abused him, his wife and his two sons, and hit them with a bucket.

Both complainants, the driver and a 33-year-old employee of a private company, are thus accusing each other of assault. Police have registered cases under Sections 118, 189, 190 and 191 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. These include provisions relating to rioting.