Vaishali accident: 12 killed, several injured as trucks rams into religious procession; Prez Murmu, PM Modi condole deaths

Vaishali(Bihar): In a tragic incident in Bihar's Vaishali district on Sunday, a speeding truck rammed into a crowd of devotees at a roadside temple killing at least twelve people and injured several others. As per ANI, at least seven children died. The accident took place in Desri police station area of the north Bihar district, about 30 kms from the state capital, around 9 PM when the procession had gathered in front of a peepal tree on the roadside to offer prayers to a local deity 'Bhumiya baba', news agency PTI reported. President Draupadi Murmu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Yadav have condoled the loss of lives in the accident in Bihar's Vaishali. PM Modi announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 Lakh to the kin of the deceased from PMNRF, while Bihar CM NItish Kuma announced an ex-gratia of Rs 5 lakh.

Vaishali Superintendent of Police Manish Kumar said the procession was taken out as part of a custom associated with marriages. A wedding was scheduled in a few days at the house of a resident of Sultanpur village nearby. The driver of the truck speeding through the adjacent Mahnar-Hajipur highway lost control. He is stuck inside the mangled vehicle and we fear that he might have died.

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Taking to Twitter, Rashtrapati Bhawan tweeted in Hindi, "The news of several casualties including children in a road accident in Vaishali, Bihar is extremely painful. I express my deepest condolences to the families who lost their loved ones in this accident and wish a speedy recovery to the injured."

वैशाली, बिहार में हुई सड़क दुर्घटना में बच्चों समेत कई लोगों के हताहत होने की ख़बर अत्यंत पीड़ादायक है। मैं इस हादसे में अपने प्रियजनों को खोने वाले परिवारों के प्रति गहन शोक-संवेदनाएं व्यक्त करती हूं तथा घायल हुए लोगों के शीघ्र स्वस्थ होने की कामना करती हूं।

— President of India (@rashtrapatibhvn) November 20, 2022

Prime Minister Narendra Modi also condoled the loss of lives in the accident in Vaishali and announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 Lakh to the kin of the deceased and 50,000 to the injured from the Prime Minister National Relief Fund (PMNRF).

"The accident in Vaishali, Bihar is saddening. Condolences to the bereaved families. May the injured recover soon. An ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh from PMNRF would be given to the next of kin of each deceased. The injured would be given Rs 50,000," tweeted Prime Minister`s Office. 

The accident in Vaishali, Bihar is saddening. Condolences to the bereaved families. May the injured recover soon. An ex-gratia of Rs. 2 lakh from PMNRF would be given to the next of kin of each deceased. The injured would be given Rs. 50,000: PM @narendramodi — PMO India (@PMOIndia) November 20, 2022

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar expressed his condolences to the families who lost their loved ones in a road accident in Vaishali. The Bihar CM announced an ex-gratia grant of Rs.5 lakh each for the kin of deceased. 

He tweeted in Hindi, "I am pained by the incident of a speeding truck crushing many people including children in Desari police station area of Vaishali. There is deep sympathy for the relatives of the deceased and they will be given."

वैशाली के देसरी थाना क्षेत्र में तेज रफ्तार ट्रक द्वारा बच्चों सहित कई लोगों को कुचलने की घटना से मर्माहत हूं। मृतकों के परिजनों के प्रति गहरी संवेदना है तथा उन्हें 5-5 लाख रू० अनुग्रह अनुदान दिया जाएगा। घायलों के समुचित इलाज का निर्देश दिया। उनके शीघ्र स्वस्थ होने की कामना है। — Nitish Kumar (@NitishKumar) November 20, 2022

(With agency inputs)