9 killed, 17 injured as bus collides with truck in UP's Banda
Banda/Lucknow (UP), Nov 25: Nine people were killed while 17 injured in a collision between a UP Roadways bus and a truck in the Tindwari police station area here on Monday afternoon, police said.
In Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath expressed grief over the deaths and the UPSRTC announced an ex gratia of Rs 5 lakh for the next of kin of each of the deceased and Rs 2.5 lakh for those who sustained serious injuries.
The accident took place near the Saimiri turn this afternoon, SP (Banda) Ganesh Prasad Saha said.
Altogether there were 50 passengers on the bus which was on its way to Fatehpur from Banda, the SP said, adding the identity of the victims was being established. Senior officials, including the district magistrate, rushed to the scene of the accident.
An official spokesman in Lucknow said the chief minister has directed all officials concerned to make arrangements for the treatment of those injured in the accident.
The UPSRTC announced that it will bear the expenditure of treatment of the injured.
UPSRTC MD Raj Shekhar and a technical team had rushed to the site for preliminary assessment, an official spokesman said.
The MD had asked for a report on preliminary reasons and a sequence of events leading to the accident, he added.
Later in a statement, Raj Shekhar said, "In the preliminary investigation and the site visit, it is believed that the truck ran into the bus and hit the right portion of the bus immediately after the driver seat. The truck brushed the complete right side portion of the bus, causing death of nine persons and injuring 17."
The driver and conductor of the bus had suffered injuries and were being treated at a hospital, he said.
"The driver of the UPSRTC bus has a valid driving licence and was driving the vehicle in order. The vehicle physical fitness was in order and the speed limit device was installed. It was in working condition. The speed at that time as per the vehicle tracking system was 50 km/hour," the UPSRTC MD said.
He added that the driver and assistant of the truck fled after the accident.
An FIR against them has been registered by the UPSRTC.
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Nothing wrong in MLAs aspiring for ministerial position: K'taka HM Parameshwara
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Bengaluru (PTI): Amid a group of ruling Congress MLAs camping in Delhi with a cabinet rejig demand for their inclusion, Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara on Monday said there was nothing wrong in legislators aspiring for ministerial positions.
He asserted that experienced MLAs were capable of handling such responsibilities.
His remarks came a day after senior and first-time MLAs stepped up lobbying efforts in the national capital with the party high command, seeking a cabinet reshuffle and greater representation.
"There is nothing wrong in them asking for it (ministerial position)," Parameshwara, a senior Congress leader, said
He added that the MLAs, some of who have been elected thrice, are capable to take up the ministerial positions.
He maintained that the final call on any cabinet reshuffle rests with the party high command.
"Our Chief Minister (Siddaramaiah), the high command, and our party (state) president (DK Shivakumar) decide about reshuffle. These three sit together and take a decision," he said.
The minister also indicated that the established procedure for cabinet formation was likely being followed.
"Earlier too, when I was the (state Congress) president, during cabinet formation, the Pradesh Congress Committee president, the Congress Legislative Party (CLP) leader, and our in-charge general secretaries would take decisions that would then be presented before our AICC president, approval would be obtained, and then it would be announced," he said.
He added that even today the same procedure is followed.
Responding to questions on whether senior ministers would make way for newcomers, Parameshwara said they would abide by the party's decision.
"If the high command decides then we have to accept it. There is no question of not accepting it," he said.
Stressing on party discipline, he added, "Whether it is me, Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy, or Energy Minister K J George, we all are seniors. If they (high command) decide that we should be replaced and make changes, then there is no question of us opposing it."
Clarifying that discussions were limited to a possible cabinet reshuffle, he said decisions on leadership matters were entirely in the hands of the high command.
He said the discussions were limited only to the Cabinet rejig and not changing the party state president, a post being held by Deputy Chief Minister Shivakumar for the past six years.
"Right now we are discussing cabinet reshuffle, not about the party president. All such matters are left to the high command," he said.
Recalling his own appointment as state Congress president in the past, Parameshwara said he had not lobbied for the post. "When I was made president, I did not lobby for it. Our leader Sonia Gandhi took the decision. It came as a surprise to me. I had not asked for it," he said.
On Sunday, several senior MLAs travelled to Delhi to press for a cabinet reshuffle, while first-time legislators renewed their demand for representation, seeking at least five berths in the Siddaramaiah-led ministry.
The push for a rejig comes amid internal rumblings within the ruling party and speculation over leadership issues, even as the high command is yet to take a final call.
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