BAREILLY: Three youths were killed and another two were fighting for their lives in a hospital after a car of a Delhi-based businessman allegedly driven by his driver ran into a group of army aspirants jogging along the pavement in UP’s Budaun district early on Sunday.
Sachin Singh (20), Yogendra Singh (18) and Jugnu Singh (21) died on the spot in Budaun’s Wazirganj area. Their two friends, Rahul, 18, and 15-year-old Dev, were taken to district hospital in a serious condition. All the youths belonged to families of farmers in nearby Kunhar village.
According to police, the car came to a halt after ramming into a tree at 5:30am. The driver, identified as Asif, fled from the accident spot. He was later arrested.
Locals held a protest on the highway and blocked the road, demanding action against the accused. The blockade was lifted a few hours later after senior police and administrative officials reached the spot and assured the protesters of action. The entire Kunhar village plunged into mourning on Sunday. And the three families, which lost their youths to the accident, were distraught. The group of youths used to get up as early as 4:30 in the morning for the jogging sessions. For them, a job in the army was a ticket out of poverty.
Yogendra’s father Dhoom Singh said, “My son was intelligent and wanted to join the army. He was preparing hard to improve his fitness to ensure that he is able to crack the physical test whenever there is an opportunity. He and his friends used to leave at 4.30am every day and run for 10km.”
Rajesh Kumar Singh, a local villager, told TOI, “Entire village is mourning the death of the three youths. We want strict action against the car driver whose negligence killed our children.”
Budaun senior superintendent of police (SSP) Sankalp Sharma said, “We have arrested the car driver and seized the car from the spot. An FIR will be registered under IPC's sections 304-A (causing death by negligence) and 279 (rash driving).”