Indore, Sep 18 (PTI) A couple and their two minor children were killed after a speeding bus belonging to a private travel firm collided with their motorcycle in Madhya Pradesh’s Indore district, police said on Thursday.
The accident occurred late Wednesday night on Indore-Ujjain Road, Sanwer police station in-charge G S Mahobia said.
He identified the deceased as Mahendra Solanki (35), his wife Jayshree Solanki (33) and their sons Jigar (5) and Tejas (14).
The unidentified bus driver fled the scene after the accident, the official said, adding a case has been registered against him under sections 281 (rash or negligent driving on a public way), 125(A) (act endangering human life) and 106(1) (causing death by negligence) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
The incident triggered a political spat with the opposition Congress claiming the police made a weak case against the bus driver since the vehicle belonged to a firm run by the family of a ruling party legislator.
Police sources said the bus belongs to a private travel firm run by the family of local BJP MLA Rakesh ‘Golu’ Shukla.
The Congress’ allegation was refuted by the BJP, which claimed its government in the state always acts impartially, while MLA Shukla said the accident happened after the motorcycle hit the stationary bus.
According to eyewitnesses, the bus, operated under the name Baneshwari Travels, had ‘Golu’ written on its rear side, and the collision was so severe that its front portion was badly damaged.
Madhya Pradesh Congress spokesperson Santosh Singh Gautam alleged police invoked weaker legal provisions against the bus driver under pressure from the ruling BJP.
“The driver should be booked for culpable homicide not amounting to murder. Serious accidents have been caused by speeding buses of this travel firm earlier as well on Indore-Ujjain Road,” Gautam claimed.
Rejecting the allegation, MP BJP spokesperson Alok Dubey said, “The state government always acts impartially. The Congress is making an ugly attempt to politicise this unfortunate road accident.” MLA Shukla claimed the motorcycle collided with a stationary bus.
“The ongoing six-lane work on Indore-Ujjain Road is causing traffic issues. To my knowledge, they hit a parked bus which led to the tragedy,” he said.
Shukla added that his elder brother operates 200-250 buses under Baneshwari Travels.
“I have expressed heartfelt sorrow over the accident and instructed my brother to ensure drivers operate the buses in an organised manner,” Shukla added. PTI HWP LAL GK BNM
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