A celebration involving newly purchased SUVs has landed a group of men in legal trouble in Pune after police alleged that vehicles were stopped and positioned on a busy highway to create social media reels.
The incident occurred at around 4:15 pm on August 27, 2026, on the Pune-Bengaluru Highway, on the stretch between the Sahyadri Mahindra showroom and Bhujbal Chowk in Wakad.
According to police, the group allegedly stopped or deliberately slowed vehicles on the highway while videos of a Mahindra BE 6 and Toyota Fortuner SUVs were being recorded, including footage using a drone.
The activity allegedly obstructed regular traffic and created a potentially dangerous situation for other motorists.
Following the circulation of videos on social media, Bavdhan Police registered a case and took action against those allegedly involved.
What Happened on the Pune-Bengaluru Highway?
According to police accounts reported by multiple publications, Somnath Ashok Kedari, 32, a resident of Kusgaon in Maval tehsil, had purchased a new Mahindra BE 6.
Kedari was reportedly travelling with relatives and others in a convoy that included Toyota Fortuner SUVs and additional vehicles.
Videos subsequently circulated online showing a black Mahindra BE 6 decorated with a large floral garland. A Toyota Fortuner could also be seen being transported on a flatbed vehicle while covered with a red sheet.
What appeared to have been planned as an elaborate new-car celebration allegedly spilled onto the public highway.
Police say vehicles were arranged, positioned and slowed at different points along the road so that the convoy could be filmed.
The resulting disruption reportedly caused vehicles to queue behind the group.
Drone Footage Allegedly Used During Reel Shoot
The shoot was not limited to cameras positioned inside or alongside the vehicles.
Police said the group also allegedly used a drone to capture footage of the convoy.
The filming reportedly took place on the busy highway stretch between the Sahyadri Mahindra showroom and Bhujbal Chowk.
Authorities allege that vehicles were stopped or driven in a manner intended to facilitate the recording rather than normal highway movement.
The key issue in the police case is therefore not simply that reels were being recorded. The allegations concern the obstruction of public traffic and potentially dangerous driving while creating the videos.
Viral Videos Bring Incident to Police Attention
The group's elaborate car shoot might have remained a local traffic incident had footage not subsequently circulated widely on social media.
The videos drew attention to the convoy and the traffic building up behind it.
After the footage surfaced, police began identifying the vehicles and individuals allegedly involved.
The same social-media content intended to showcase the new vehicles therefore became part of the material that brought the incident to the attention of authorities.
Two Toyota Fortuners Seized
Pimpri-Chinchwad Police seized two Toyota Fortuners allegedly involved in the filming.
Police records cited in reports identify the vehicles as carrying registration numbers:
MH 14 KH 5644
and
MH 14 LU 1080.
Reports also state that the Mahindra BE 6 involved in the convoy was taken into police custody. However, the seizure of the two Fortuners is the detail consistently confirmed across police-based reports.
The Mahindra BE 6 involved in the incident was reported as bearing registration number MH 14 NP 5644.
Two Men Detained
Bavdhan Police detained Somnath Ashok Kedari in connection with the case.
Ajay Sambhaji Yadav was also detained.
Other individuals have reportedly been named in connection with the incident, including drivers of vehicles involved in the convoy and the photographer allegedly hired to record the shoot.
Police are continuing to investigate the involvement of others.
Photographer Also Named in Case
Reports citing police information say Soham Chavan of SC Photography was among those accused in connection with the filming.
The group allegedly used professional-style filming techniques, including drone footage, as part of the new-car video.
Police are investigating the respective roles of those involved in organising, driving and recording the convoy.
Police Register Case Under BNS and Motor Vehicles Act
Bavdhan Police registered the matter as Crime Register No. 385/2026.
The case invokes Sections 285, 281, 223 and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
Police have also invoked Sections 184 and 122 of the Motor Vehicles Act.
The allegations broadly concern conduct including obstruction and dangerous or improper use of vehicles on a public road.
The filing of a case represents the police allegations at this stage. Determination of criminal liability ultimately depends on the legal process.
Police Say Highway Shoot Created Safety Risk
Senior Police Inspector Arvind Pawar of Bavdhan Police Station said the men had allegedly stopped and positioned vehicles on the highway without permission for the video shoot.
According to Pawar:
“Their actions obstructed the movement of other motorists and created a potentially dangerous situation on the busy highway.”
The statement highlights the central concern behind the police action: public roads cannot be treated as controlled filming locations when normal traffic remains in operation.
Why the Incident Matters Beyond a Viral Reel
The Pune case illustrates a wider safety problem created when social-media content production moves onto active public roads.
Car reels, delivery celebrations and cinematic vehicle videos have become increasingly visible across social platforms. But filming itself is not what triggered police action in this case.
The critical distinction is how and where the content was allegedly produced.
An active highway is fundamentally different from a controlled private location. Deliberately slowing or stopping traffic can create sudden speed differences between vehicles, unexpected queues and unpredictable reactions from approaching motorists.
The potential consequences therefore extend beyond inconvenience to commuters.
Viral Content Can Also Become Evidence
There is another important dimension to the case.
Videos uploaded to social platforms can help authorities reconstruct an incident by showing vehicles, locations and potentially the conduct of the people involved.
In this case, the footage that circulated online reportedly brought the alleged highway obstruction to police attention.
The episode is therefore an example of how a reel designed to generate online attention can also provide authorities with information relevant to an investigation.
Police Action Sends Warning Over Road Reels
Police have warned against obstructing traffic to produce videos or social-media content.
The Pune incident demonstrates that purchasing or celebrating an expensive vehicle does not provide any exemption from road-safety requirements.
Vehicle photography and cinematic reels can be produced at private properties, closed locations or other places where filming does not interfere with public traffic.
Using an operational highway as an uncontrolled filming set, however, can expose both those involved and unrelated motorists to risk.
For the Pune group, what began as a highly produced celebration involving a Mahindra BE 6, Toyota Fortuners and drone footage ultimately resulted in detained individuals, seized vehicles and a police case.
