Fact Check | Indian Army Refutes Reports Of 'Drunk' Soldier Hitting 30 Civilians With Car In Nagpur's Ramtek

New Delhi: The Indian Army strongly denied media reports claiming that a drunken soldier rammed his car into a crowd of civilians in Maharashtra’s Nagpur district. Calling the coverage “false and misleading,” the Army issued an official clarification on Tuesday, August 5, urging media houses to verify facts before sensationalising incidents.

Several news outlets had reported the alleged incident on August 4, using headlines such as “Drunk Army Officer Rams Car Into 30 People In Nagpur, Thrashed By Locals.” However, the Army stated that this portrayal was inaccurate and misrepresented the actual events.

#IndianArmy#FactCheck | “Drunk Army Officer Rams Car Into 30 People In Nagpur”

The headline is false & misleading.

• Soldier on leave assaulted by four individuals.
• FIR filed by Soldier against four miscreants who attacked him.
• Verified by Nagpur Police.

The Indian…

— Southern Command INDIAN ARMY (@IaSouthern) August 5, 2025

Indian Army Issues Statement On X

In a post on social media platform X (formerly Twitter), the Indian Army stated that the narrative being circulated was incorrect. It clarified that the soldier, who was on leave, was in fact assaulted by four individuals. It further added that the soldier had filed an FIR against the attackers, and that the information had been verified by Nagpur Police. The Army emphasised that the headline being circulated was misleading and did not reflect the true situation.

The individual involved in the incident was identified as Havildar Harsh Pal Mahadev Waghmare, a resident of Ramtek in Nagpur district. He is currently posted in the North East and was on leave at the time of the incident. According to the Army’s version, on the evening of August 3, Waghmare had a minor altercation over a parking issue while returning from a relative’s house in Ramtek.

Maharashtra: 'Drunk' Army Officer Allegedly Rams Car Into 30 People In Nagpur, Thrashed By Locals; VIDEO

This dispute escalated when four individuals began chasing him. In an effort to evade them, the jawan lost control of his car, which then collided with a tree. The Army said that immediately after the crash, the soldier was dragged out of the vehicle and brutally assaulted by the group. His car was vandalised and eventually thrown into a drain. The Army made it clear that no civilians were injured in the incident, countering claims that 25–30 people had been hit.

Drunk Army Office allegedly hits 25-30 people with car in Maharashtra's Nagpur
A 40-year-old army officer allegedly under the influence of alcohol rammed his car into a crowd, injuring around 25 to 30 people. The officer was on a four-day leave from Assam. pic.twitter.com/fR1eT3y1fb

— Priyanka Koul (@Priyankakaul13) August 4, 2025

Case Filed Against 4 Individuals In The Matter

On August 4, Havildar Waghmare registered a formal complaint against the four individuals at Ramtek Police Station. The Local Military Authority is now coordinating with the local police to ensure that a fair and timely investigation is carried out.

Releasing a final statement, the Indian Army appealed to media organisations to uphold responsible journalism. It urged them to establish facts and refrain from sensationalism while reporting incidents involving serving personnel.