SPEEDING TRUCK MOWS DOWN 12 PILGRIMS IN TANAKPUR

LUCKNOW:At least 12 people were killed and a dozen other injured when a speeding truck hit a group of devotees heading to Purnagiri shrine in Uttarakhand on foot. The accident took place in Champawat district’s Tanakpur area. The pilgrims belonged to Bareilly.

“The incident took place at around 4 am. As per information, a speeding truck lost control and hit the group, comprising 25 devotees,” Bareilly DM Virendra Kumar Singh said.

While 10 died on the spot, two others succumbed in hospital. Purnagiri temple located in Uttarakhand is 120 Km from Bareilly and is frequented round the year by devotees.

According to police sources, the injured have been admitted to hospitals in Champawat and Bareilly. Condition of many of them is said to be critical.

Apart from the local administrative teams and police, army men from Tanakpur also pitched in to rush the injured to hospitals.

“We are in constant touch with the district administration of Champawat and are assisting them in providing help to the family of injured and deceased,” the DM said. “Most of the deceased belong to Nawabganj, Bahedi and Hafisganj blocks of Bareilly district. I have asked the sub divisional magistrates of these blocks to provide every possible help to their families,” said the DM.

CM Yogi Adityanath has expressed grief over the mishap and announced ex gratia of ₹2 lakh for kin of deceased and ₹50,000 to those with serious injuries.