
Gadchiroli Aug. 7 (District Correspondent) As many as 4 students were killed and 2 others were critically injured as they were hit by a speeding vehicle near village Katli on Gadchiroli-Armori highway early this morning.
The names of the deceased students are given as Tinku Namdeo bhoyar (14) studying in std. VIII th, Sushant Duryodhan Meshram (15), std. IX th Tushar Raju Marbhate (13) std. VII th, Tanweer Balaji Mankar (16) std. X th.
While Tinku and Sushant were killed on the spot, Tushar and Tanweer breathed their last in the district hospital. The two more students Aditya Dhananjay kohpare (14), std. VIII th and Kshitij tulshidas Meshram (13) std. VII th have been airlifted to Nagpur for treatment as their condition is stated to be critical.
The 6 students had gone for a walk on Gadchiroli-Armori highway as usual. As they were sitting near a nullah, around 1 kilometre from the village, a speeding truck badly dashed against them and disappeared from the scene. The impact of the dash was so severe that the two of the students were killed on the spot itself. The remaining 4 students were shifted to the district hospital where two of them breathed their last.
The 2 students were then flown to Nagpur by helicopter that was arranged by the district administration with the help of the Lloyds Metals and Energy Ltd. company.
As soon as the news of the accident spread, the villagers of Katli and nearby villages rushed towards the spot. The angered villagers then started rasta roko agitation demanding early solution to the growing incidents of accidents and immediate relief to the kins of the deceased students. The rasta roko continued for about four hours and there was a long queue of vehicles on the highway.
The Minister for School Education Dadaji Bhuse, who was on the tour of the district, also visited the village and pacified the angry mob assuring them financial assistance of Rs. 4 lakhs each and the amount of students’ insurance. He also consoled the family members of the deceased students and assured to get more assistance sanctioned from the government.
Gadchiroli MLA Dr. Milind Narote, district collector Avishyant Panda, SP Nilotpal were present during this visit. The leaders of various political parties including Manohar Poretti of Congress, Sandeep Thakur of shiv Sena, Hansraj Undirwade, Punyawan Sorte of RPI, Amol Marakwar of CPM also visited the village and extended their support to the villagers. Village Sarpancha Arun Undirwade held negotiations with the minister on behalf of the agitating villagers.
Gadchiroli Tehsildar Chandu Pradhan, PSO Vinod Chavan were present to handle the law-and-order situation. The health department had sent two ambulances with the doctors and medicines for handling the health emergency.