Lucknow: Four people were killed and 20, including 18 school-going kids, injured in two separate road accidents involving buses in Bulandshahr and Bijnor districts of UP within 24 hours. Five children are in critical condition, police said on Thursday.
The first incident took place on Chandak Road at Mandwar’s Ranipur village in Bijnor district on Thursday morning in which a bus carrying 35 pupils to school was hit by a truck. Bus driver, Manoj Kumar, 40, a resident of Jalpur village, died on the spot.
Bijnor SP, Neeraj Kumar Jadaun, said, “Eighteen students — all under 16 years — were injured. Five of them suffered head injuries. No complaint has been received so far, but we’ll take legal steps in the matter.”
In another incident, a few daily wage labourers standing along the road after their day’s work were hit by a speeding bus — full of wedding guests — in Bulandshahr’s Chhatari on Wednesday evening. Three of them died on the spot while two others were critically injured, police said.
The three dead were Rinku Pal (25), Ashok Singh (35) and Vinod Kumar (36), from Kamauna in Chhatari. Injured Arvind Kumar (22) and Badal (18) were referred to a higher medical centre.
Dibai circle officer Ram Karan Singh said, “The bus was coming from Pahasu and going to Atrauli in Aligarh. The vehicle was seized and the bodies sent for postmortem.”
SHO of Chhatari, Bhupendra Singh, added, “Bus driver Rambhool Singh (50) from Arniya was arrested on Thursday and an FIR under IPC sections 304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder), 279 (rash driving) and 338 (causing grievous hurt) registered against him. One of the injured is critical.”
Local residents pointed out that a sharp bend in the road, near the accident site, has caused several fatalities in the past. “There is no sign board. It is not easy for a driver to notice the turn, especially at night,” said Vijay Pal, a local shopkeeper.
The victims’ families have demanded govt compensation. “They were the sole bread earners of our families. Govt must provide some financial assistance,” said a kin of Ashok Singh. Singh is survived by wife and four children.
