PUNE: A 25-year-old youth working as a delivery executive for online food aggregator Swiggy had a narrow escape after he met with an accident on Boat Club Road.Akhay Vasant Polke was hit by a speeding bike at on Boat Club Road 4.30pm on March 21 and smashed his head on the road. He did not suffer any head injuries as he was wearing a helmet. However, Polke fractured his leg in the accident. He registered a complaint against the bike rider at the Koregaon Park police station on Sunday.“I delivered food to a customer’s home in Koregaon Park and from there, I was heading back home to Tadiwala Road for a lunch break,” Polke, who is recuperating in a private hospital, told TOI. “I was riding on Boat Club Road at a moderate speed, when I suddenly noticed a bike coming at a high speed from the opposite direction. The rider lost control over the vehicle — his hands were shaking when he spotted me. I tried to move my bike to the left side of the road, but before I could do so, the bike rammed my right leg,” he said.Polke fell to his right and smashed his head on the road. “My helmet came loose and was rolling down the road. It saved my life as it prevented me from receiving multiple injuries on my head,” he added.“My leg was seriously injured. Passers-by rushed me to a nearby private hospital in an autorickshaw. They also rushed the bike rider to the hospital, but he was discharged soon as he only suffered minor injuries,” Polke said.According to passers-by, the other biker was riding in an inebriated condition.“The orthopaedic surgeonbs have operated on my leg. Two more surgeries will need be performed in the coming days,” Polke said. “I won’t be able to walk for six months,” he added.The 25-year-old is the sole breadwinner of his family. He had joined Swiggy as a delivery executive six months ago. “My job is to deliver packets of food to customers in the Koregaon Park and Dhole Patil Road areas,” he said.According to Polke, Swiggy puts its employees through a rigorous training regiment. “We must compulsorily wear helmets and abide by traffic rules, otherwise we will be fined,” Polke said.The company’s mediclaim insurance will cover Polke’s expenses to the tune of Rs1.5 lakh. “I will appeal to the other biker to foot the rest of the bill, as the accident occurred due to his negligence,” Polke added.“We have seized the other rider’s bike, but we have not questioned him as he was discharged from the hospital. We will issue a notice to him and ask him to cooperate in the investigation. We are also checking CCTV cameras in the area. A chargesheet will be filed on the completion of the probe,” sub-inspector Bhagwat Shendge of the Koregaon Park police said.

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