Death of two kanwariyas: FIR lodged against NHAI officials
Families of two drowned kanwariyas filed a case against NHAI officials for negligence after the youths fell into Eastern Ganga Canal due to lack of safety measures.
A day after the death of two kanwariyas in Eastern Ganga Canal, their family lodged a case against project director, manager and other staff of National Highway Authority of India( NHAI) at Nazibabad police station of district Bijnor, on Sunday.
Pradeep,16 and his friend Surendra,17 were residents of village Kodampur under Bhojipur police station of Bareilly. They were going to Hardwar along with a group of Kanwariyas of their village to bring the kanwar on Friday night.
There was no railing on the Eastern Ganga Canal on Kashipur- Hardwar highway and in absence of any board of direction or warning both kanwariyas fell into the canal and drowned on Friday night at around 1 o’ clock.
Other kanwariyas passing through there informed police about the incident and officials including SDM Kunwar Bahadur Singh, circle officer Desh Deepak Singh and SHO of Nazibabad police station rushed to the area.
Divers of NDRF, SDRF and PAC were called and they searched for the bodies underwater but failed to locate them. Meanwhile, the submerged motorcycle of the kanwariyas was recovered on Sunday.
Angry Kanwariyas blocked the national highway on Sunday demanding action against NHAI officials and claimed that their negligence was responsible for deaths of both kanwariyas.
Pradeep’s father, Mihirlal, gave a complaint in the Nazibabad police station on Sunday in which he accused NHAI project director of Kashipur- Hardwar Highway Mohd Sarfaruzur Rehman, manager Amit Sharma and their regional team responsible for deaths of Pradeep and Surendra.
A case under section 125 of Bhartiya Nyay Sanhita has been registered against the accused officials.
Mihirlal wrote in his complaint that there was no railing on the small bridge on the canal and no warning board displayed for commuters. “Railing on the bridge could have saved the lives of two youngsters”, said Mihilal.
Senior officials are camping at the site of the incident and efforts are underway to recover the bodies of the kanwariyas.