Team News Riveting
Raipur, October 15
In what appears to be a rerun of Uttar Pradesh’s Lakhimpur Kheri incident, a speedy SUV loaded with ganja (marijuana) ran over a Hindu procession in Chhattisgarh’s Pathalgaon town and crushed to death one person besides injuring 17 others.
With religious fervour and zeal, a group of people were walking in a procession to immerse the idol of Goddess Durga on Raigarh road of Pathalgaon, about 450 km from the Chhattisgarh capital on Friday afternoon. A disturbing video of the incident shows a speeding car deliberately running over the procession. While many were thrown out following the impact of the dash, the vehicle dragged many people miles before speeding out of the scene.
The medical officials initially confirmed that one person was killed while 20 were injured. However, reports reaching from Pathalgaon said four persons have died so far while 17 others were injured; of them many are in critical condition. The Jashpur police officials could not be contacted to confirm the toll.
According to eyewitnesses, the vehicle rammed at full speed and hence, the possibility of many more casualties could not be ruled out. The car, a maroon Mahindra Xylo, was caught after people chased the car and the driver was beaten.
Tension flared up in the town following the incident. However, adequate security arrangements have been made in the town to avert further escalation of the tense prevailing situation.
The incident reminds of Lakhimpur Kheri in Uttar Pradesh where the vehicle of Union Minister Ajay Mishra’s son Ashish Mishra mowed down four farmers. The violence that followed the incident killed four more people.
Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, who rushed to Lucknow after the incident, had announced Rs 50 lakh each to the family members of farmers who died in the incident.
Two cops of Chhattisgarh police have been suspended in connection.
