2 Gujarat cops on way to Patna killed in accident

In yet another tragic turn of events ahead of BJP’s prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi’s proposed visit to Bihar, his second time in less than a week, two personnel of a bomb disposal squad of Gujarat Police were killed and four others injured in a road accident in the wee hours of Friday in Uttar Pradesh’s Firozabad town.

In yet another tragic turn of events ahead of BJP’s prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi’s proposed visit to Bihar, his second time in less than a week, two personnel of a bomb disposal squad of Gujarat Police were killed and four others injured in a road accident in the wee hours of Friday in Uttar Pradesh’s Firozabad town.

The tragic incident happened around 2.45 am on National Highway-2 under Sirsaganj police station. The policemen were on their way to Patna in a mini-bus as an ‘advance’ team ahead of the Gujarat chief minister’s visit to meet the families of the six victims killed in a series of blasts that rocked Patna on the day of Modi’s rally on October 27.

“The mini-bus was parked at the roadside as they had stopped on the way. A truck rammed into it around 2.45 am. The truck driver, who we believe was in an inebriated state, managed to escape from the spot but was arrested later,” said Dheeraj Pal Singh, station officer, Sirsaganj police station.

“The two policemen killed have been identified as the driver and a constable -- Bhai Lal Patel and Jai Raj Singh -- from Gujarat police. Four more were injured and rushed to the district hospital of Firozabad for treatment. A case has been registered in this regard and investigations are on,” Singh added.

A number of Gujarat Police officials have already reached Bihar to assess the security at various places Modi is expected to visit.

To meet the relatives of the blast victims, the Gujarat CM will cover six districts by chopper.