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Truck mows down six Kanwarias in U.P.’s Hathras, protestors jam road
Six Kanwarias died and another suffered injuries after being run over by a speeding truck near Sadabad crossing in Hathras district of Uttar Pradesh early on Saturday, police said
Six Kanwarias died and another suffered injuries after being run over by a speeding truck near Sadabad crossing in Hathras district of Uttar Pradesh early on Saturday, police said. Chief minister Yogi Adityanath expressed his condolences and directed all measures for better treatment to the injured. The district magistrate of Hathras announced a compensation of one lakh each to next of kin of the deceased.
“Seven Kanwarias (devotees of Lord Shiva who carry Ganga water during Sawan month} from Gwalior were bringing the holy Ganga water from Haridwar and moving to Gwalior when they were hit by a speeding truck at around 2.30 am within Sadabad police station limits of Hathras,” said additional director general (ADG) of police, Agra zone, Rajiv Krishna who rushed to the spot from Agra on receiving information.
“A police team reached the spot and interacted with the injured while five Kanwarias died on spot. One died during treatment taking the toll to six. The injured one has been referred to SN Medical College, Agra, where family members of the deceased have reached from Gwalior,” the ADG said.
The truck driver, who had escaped after the accident was later arrested by Hathras police and was being interrogated. A case was registered at Sadabad police station of Hathras in connection with the accident and the truck was impounded, police said. The deceased were identified as Jabar Singh, 28, Ranveer, 30, Manoj Pal, 30, Ramesh Pal, 30, Naresh Pal, 32, and Vikas, 25. The bodies had been sent for a post-mortem examination.
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 jammed road at Saiyyan toll plaza on the Agra-Gwalior highway. Police and administrative authorities reached the spot and pacified the protestors who then lifted the road blockade. Later, traffic movement became normal on the highway.
ADG of police, Agra zone, Rajiv Krishna, however, denied there was any lack of security arrangements for Kanwar Yatra but added there were limitations of police protection for smaller groups moving in an isolated fashion.
“Adequate security arrangements are in place and police patrolling vehicles are moving with larger groups on road and night patrolling is also on,” he said. “Law and order situation is under control and adequate police force has been deployed in the area,” Krishna added.
Moreover, an accident occurred near Hapur bus stand on Friday (July 22) when a speeding car hit a woman Kanwaria Mamta of Aligarh. She was rushed to the district hospital from where doctors referred her to Delhi in view of her serious condition.
Station house officer, Nauchandi police station, Jitendra Singh said driver of the car was taken into custody and a case will be registered after receiving a complaint from the family of the injured Kanwaria. On July 18, two Kanwarias were killed after a roadway bus hit their motorcycle on NH 24.
In another incident, a Kanwaria riding a mobike fell into 30 ft roadside gorge and died after his motorcycle collided with a divider on Delhi Meerut Expressway. Police said four Kanwarias from Delhi were on their way to Haridwar on motorbikes. The bike of one Kanwaria collided with the divider and he fell into the deep gorge.
Another Kanwaria Mohit, 26, also died and his of two friends sustained injuries near Mansoorpur of district Muzaffarnagar on July 21 night. Mohit, a resident of Meerut, was on his way to Haridwar along with his two friends on his motorbike when the mishap occurred.
