Muzaffarnagar/Lucknow: Six migrant workers, who were walking to their homes in Bihar from Punjab, were killed in an accident Thursday. Four others were seriously injured. The migrant workers were walking when an Uttar Pradesh (UP) government bus hit them on the Delhi-Saharanpur Highway in Muzaffarnagar.
The incident took place around 10.30 pm Wednesday between Ghalauli check-post and Rohana Toll Plaza, officials said. It is approximately 20kms from Lucknow.
Driving under the influence of alcohol
Bus driver Rajbir Singh has been arrested along with his associates Satish Chandra and Anil Sharma, police said. Medical examination of the driver has confirmed he was under the influence of alcohol while driving.
The Uttar Pradesh roadways bus was returning to Agra from Saharanpur after dropping off migrant labourers to their homes.
Ex gratia announced
A government official in Lucknow said Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath expressed grief over the incident. He announced an ex gratia payment of Rs 2,00,000 each to the families of the deceased. Similarly Rs 50,000 was given to the seriously injured.
Later in the day, the six bodies were sent to their homes in Bihar in two ambulances, after post-mortem. The ambulance was escorted by a police van.
Inquiry ordered
Saharanpur Divisional Commissioner Sanjay Kumar also visited the spot to conduct an inquiry in the incident. An FIR has also been registered. Adityanath has asked the commissioner to conduct an inquiry and fix responsibility, a government spokesman said. The commissioner has also directed district authorities to ensure migrants don’t have to walk to their destinations.
The incident comes days after 16 migrant labourers who had fallen asleep on railway tracks were crushed to death by a goods train in Aurangabad in Maharashtra, May 8.
PTI