Two devotees die in road mishap

Bhagalpur: Two Chhath devotees died and two persons were injured around 7 on Thursday morning after a Naugachia-bound truck hit them when they were on their way back home after Doosri Arghya.

The accident occurred on the Bhagalpur end of the Vikramshila bridge. Kaliya Devi (35) and Punam Devi (32) died on the spot. Their mother-in-law Tetri Devi (70) was seriously injured. Punam’s three-year-old daughter was also injured.

Police said the devotees were on their way back home from Bararipul Ghat when the speeding truck hit them. The truck’s driver and helper fled but residents vandalised the vehicle. The people stopped traffic on the bridge for over an hour and attacked the police.

Probe into jawan death

Bhagalpur: Government Railway Police, Bhagalpur, have started a probe into the death of a Special Auxiliary Police constable on duty on platform No. 6 of Bhagalpur railway station late on Wednesday night. The victim died of an injury to the head. GRP station house officer Srikant Mandal said Prithiraj Singh, the SAP constable, was on duty with two other men on Wednesday night when he suddenly collapsed. After preliminary investigation, GRP officials suspect that someone hit the back of his head, causing brain haemorrhage. He was rushed to Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College and Hospital, where doctors declared him dead.

Report to panel

Patna: Bihar Human Rights Commission has sought a detailed report from director-general of police P.K. Thakur on the involvement of then inspector-general of police Sudhanshu Kumar in the alleged fake encounter of one Purnea resident, Susheela Devi alias Gudia, in 2005. The commission’s chairperson, Justice (retd) Bilal Nazki, issued a notice on Tuesday asking the police chief to submit the report within four weeks. The directive came in the wake of a petition filed by RTI activist Brajesh Sahay. Kumar, a 1996-batch IPS officer, was posted as superintendent of police in Purnea at the time of the incident in August 2005. The petitioner claimed the officer was promoted twice in spite of a criminal case pending against him.

Accident

Munger: Four persons, identified as Amir Manjhi (35), Pradeep Manjhi (25), Ganesh Manjhi (50) and Pintoo (3), were killed when the motorcycles they were riding collided near the Bihma Kali Mandir on Tarapur-Sangrampur road on Wednesday.

Youth drowns

Munger: A 20-year-old youth drowned at Khaira village under the jurisdiction of Haveli Kharagpur police station on Wednesday, police said. The deceased, along with others, was cleaning a ghat when he drowned.

Bank function

Patna: Vijaya Bank will organise a programme on Friday to mark its 84th foundation day. A bank note on Thursday said the programme would be organised at the regional office and all senior officials of the region would be present.