BUS RUNS OVER 7 PILGRIMS IN UP

Seven people, including three children, were killed when a bus ran over them while they were sleeping on the roadside in Bulandshahr early on Friday, police said.

According to police, a group of 56 people from Mohanpura village, in Chandpa police station area of Hathras district, had gone to Vaishno Devi on October 3. During the return journey, their driver decided to halt and parked the vehicle along the roadside near Gandhighat in Narora town of Bulandshahar district. Some of the devotees then decided to sleep on the roadside.“At around 4 am, a speeding bus ran over the seven devotees, killing them on the spot,” said circle officer of Dibai area Vikram Singh.

Senior superintendent of police Santosh Kumar Singh said the driver of the bus escaped from the scene, even as locals gathered there and protested against the incident. Police later talked to the people and managed to convince them to end their protest, Singh said.

The deceased have been identified as Phoolwati (65), her daughter Sheela (35) and granddaughter Yogita (5); Mala Devi (32) and her daughter Kalpana (4) and Renu (22) and her daughter Sanjana (4).

Sub divisional magistrate (SDM) Sanjay Kumar said the bodies had been sent for post mortem examination and the relatives of the deceased were informed about the incident.

Chief minister Yogi Adityanath has expressed grief over the accident and announced a compensation of ~2 lakh each to the kin of the deceased. The chief minister has also instructed officials to ensure strict action against those who are responsible for the incident, a Uttar Pradesh public relations department letter said.

ACCORDING TO POLICE, THE SEVEN VAISHNO DEVI PILGRIMS WERE SLEEPING ON ROADSIDE IN BULANDSHAHR WHEN A BUS RAN OVER THEM, KILLING THEM ON THE SPOT