In an incident similar to that reported in Lakhimpur Kheri in which Union Minister of State for Home Ajay Mishra Teni’s son went crushing farmers, a vehicle of the convoy of the son of Bharatiya Janata Party MP from Kaiserganj in Gonda district, Brij Bhushan Saran Singh, crushed two youths, including a 17-year-old, to death and critically injured an old woman.

As Brij Bhushan, the former president of Women’s Wrestling Federation, is facing charges of sexual assault of women wrestlers, the BJP gave its ticket for the Kaiserganj Lok Sabha seat in the ongoing elections to his son Karan Bhushan Singh.

According to eyewitnesses, the convoy of vehicles was of BJP candidate from Kaiserganj, Karan Bhushan Singh.

A large number of policemen are deployed at the spot. Police have seized the SUV involved in the accident and have also arrested the driver of the escort vehicle. There is no confirmation yet whether Karan Bhushan Singh was travelling with the cavalcade at the time of the accident.

Reports said that Karan Bhushan Singh was going to Huzurpur with his convoy of vehicles that included a Fortuner with ‘police escort’ written on it. When the convoy reached near Chhatarpurwa on Bahraich Huzurpur road, the Fortuner, in an attempt to overtake other vehicles, crushed two youths – 17-year-old Rehan and 21-year-old Shahzad Khan – who were coming to Karnailganj market on a motorcycle from Nidura village to purchase medicines.

The Fortuner later broke the electric pole and also crushed 60-year-old Sita Devi, who was sitting in front of her house, critically injuring her. She has been admitted to hospital.

Soon after the accident, hundreds of local residents gathered at the spot and started raising slogans against the police administration, demanding action against the MP’s son. They also blocked the road and tried to burn the Fortuner, leading to heated arguments between the police and the people, who were adamant on not allowing cops to take the bodies of the youths for post-mortem.

Seeing the situation becoming violent, police from many police stations, additional superintendent of police, police circle officer, sub-district magistrate, tehsildar and many other officers reached the spot and somehow calmed down the agitated people. After much struggle and persuasion, the police sent the bodies for autopsy.

A complaint regarding the incident has been filed in the police station by Chanda Begum, a woman among the family members of one of the deceased youth. In the complaint, it has been stated that the driver of the Fortuner bearing registration number UP 32 HW 1800, while driving carelessly, came to the right side of the road and hit the motorcycle, killing both the youths on the spot.

Inspector in-charge Nirbhay Narayan Singh said that a case was being registered on the basis of the complaint and the Fortuner had been taken into custody.

Superintendent of Police Vineet Jaiswal said that people had been pacified and action was being taken in the matter.