BTech student dies in accident

KANPUR: Death of a 20-year-old BTech student in a road accident sparked violence in Maharajpur area on Kanpur-Allahabad highway on Tuesday. Several vehicles, including private four-wheelers and passing trucks, were damaged by an irate mob after the student identified as Ashish Gautam, a native of Lakhimpur and who was pursuing a BTech course from a Kanpur Institute of Technology situated in Ruma area of Maharajpur, was fatally knocked down by a two-wheeler on Kanpur-Allahabad National Highway, of the district.
Several security personnel of the institute were injured and hundreds of travellers ran for cover as they were caught in the melee on the highway. Ashish, who resides at a private accommodation in Chakeri area, was crossing the road when a rashly driven two-wheeler hit him causing critical injuries. He was rushed to Kanshiram Trauma Centre, where doctors declared him brought dead.
While the driver of two-wheeler identified as Ashish Singh, a native of Fatehpur who also sustained injuries, was admitted to Trauma Centre, students of KIT, angry over the delay in arranging ambulance by the authorities for transporting Ashish, staged a massive road blockade on Kanpur-Allahabad highway and demanded necessary compensation to victims family members.
Later, the police rushed to the spot and tried to pacify the agitators but in vain. The situation later turned volatile when a group of students pelted bricks and stones on passing vehicles on Kanpur-Allahabad highway. “As the protesters refused to budge from the spot and tried to take law into their hands, more police force was requisitioned to pacify the agitating students," a senior police official said. Chaos prevailed in the area following heavy brick-batting that continued till senior district and police officials reached there and assured the students to send a recommendation to the college authorities for compensation. The police later shifted the body to mortuary for autopsy.
Elsewhere, in yet another road accident, three persons were killed and one other injured after a truck skidded-off the road and fell on a Tata magic vehicle in Bhognipur area of Kanpur Dehat, on Tuesday evening.
The deceased, identified as Sanju (26) of Pichaura Rajpur in Kanpur Dehat, Maya Devi (27) of Phafoond Auraiya and Abhishek (18) of Gubar village of Kanpur Dehat, were travelling in Tata Magic vehicle when the incident occurred near Mancha village. The injured, whose identity is yet to be ascertained, was admitted to district hospital in a critical condition. The truck driver managed to flee the site after abandoning the vehicle.