E-Paper
Hathras SP transferred after death of six Kanwariyas in road accident
Devesh Kumar Pandey, who was presently posted as Commandant of 39th battalion of Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC) in Mirzapur, has been made the new SP Hathras
A day after the death of six Kanwariyas in a road accident in Hathras, the Uttar Pradesh government on Sunday transferred the district’s superintendent of police (SP).
As per home department officials, SP Hathras, Vikas Kumar Vaid, has been replaced by Devesh Kumar Pandey, who was presently posted as Commandant of 39th battalion of Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC) in Mirzapur.
Vaid, a 2011 batch IPS officer, will now take place of Pandey as the Commandant of 39th battalion of PAC in Mirzapur.
Pandey is a promoted state police cadre IPS officer and has long experience in field as additional superintendent of police and deputy superintendent of police.
The home department order said Pandey should immediately join the new place of posting without taking the seven days’ time period of shifting. Such order was issued due to ongoing Kanwar Yatra.
On Saturday, seven Kanwarias (devotees of Lord Shiva) were returning to Gwalior from Haridwar with Holy Ganga water when they were hit by a speeding truck at around 2.30 am within Sadabad police station limits of Hathras. Five Kanwarias had died on the spot while one died during treatment. One injured has been referred to SN Medical College, Agra.
Chief minister Yogi Adityanath had expressed his condolences and directed all measures for better treatment to the injured. The district magistrate of Hathras had announced a compensation of one lakh each to next of kin of the deceased.
Additional director general (ADG) of police, Agra zone, Rajiv Krishna said the truck driver, who had escaped after the accident, was later arrested by Hathras police and was being interrogated.
He said a case was registered at Sadabad police station of Hathras and the truck impounded.
The deceased were identified as Jabar Singh, 28, Ranveer, 30, Manoj Pal, 30, Ramesh Pal, 30, Naresh Pal, 32, and Vikas, 25.
Later, when the bodies of the Kanwarias were being taken to Gwalior, around 50-60 angry Kanwarias and locals seeking “adequate compensation” for the families of the deceased stopped one of the vehicles carrying the mortal remains and blocked road at Saiyyan toll plaza on the Agra-Gwalior highway.
Traffic movement became normal after police and administrative authorities pacified the protestors.
