Angry over 'late' delivery of pizza, Pune man assaults parcel carrier, fires in air

A 27-year-old man has been arrested in Maharashtra’s Pune city after he allegedly assaulted a delivery boy over the apparently late arrival of pizza at his doorstep and opened fire in the air in the ensuing altercation, an official said on Wednesday. Accused Chetan Padwal on Monday night placed an order with a popular pizza outlet in the Wagholi area of the city.

“When the delivery man, Rushikesh Annapurve, reached Padwal’s home, the latter allegedly abused and assaulted him for delivering the order late. When two colleagues of Annapurve came to the spot to seek an explanation why he assaulted their staff, Padwal caught the collar of one of them and assaulted him as well,” said an official from Lonikand police station.

An angry Padwal then ran towards his SUV parked near his rowhouse, pulled out a pistol and opened fire in the air, the official said. On a complaint by the pizza seller’s employees, the police arrested Padwal under Indian Penal Code sections 308 (attempt to commit culpable homicide), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), and 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace), the official said.

As per the complaint, the bullet could have hit anyone on the upper floors of the housing society where Padwal lives.

The police said Padwal has a licence for the pistol.