Mini bus accident triggers outrage

Two children were crushed to death by a minibus in Gulzarbagh locality in Patna triggering arson by a crowd which fought pitched battles with the police and set the bus and vehicles parked at a traffic outpost on fire, prompting police to open fire in which one person was injured.

Abhishek (6) and Suraj (8) were run over by the private mini bus in the busy area, SP (City) Anwar Hussain told PTI. While Abhishek died on the spot, Suraj succumbed to injuries during treatment at the Nalanda Medical College and Hospital (NMCH).

The locals chased the bus but as the driver managed to escape, they dragged out the cleaner and beat him. The crowd then set the bus on fire and tried to throw the cleaner into the blaze. He was, however, rescued by the police and admitted to NMCH with serious injuries, Hussain said.

Enraged over the police rescuing the cleaner, the crowd descended on the nearby Maharajganj traffic outpost and started pelting stones.

In order to bring the situation under control, police fired two rounds in which a young man was injured, Additional Director General of Police Abhayanand told PTI, claiming the man was out of danger.

A few policemen and onlookers were reported to suffer injuries during the stone throwing. Among them was Prabhu Shanker, a stringer of a TV news channel, who had to be rushed to NMCH after he was hit by a brick in his stomach.

"The man injured in police firing has been operated upon and is responding to treatment. The bullet hit him on the left side of the neck," NMCH superintendent Santosh Kumar told PTI.

Meanwhile, Bihar Road Construction Minister and local MLA Nand Kishore Yadav has described the mishap as "unfortunate" and said all assistance would be given to the families of the deceased in accordance with the law.