Hoarding Collapses, Kills Auto-Rickshaw Driver
Patna: April 16, 2008
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Hoarding Collapses, Kills Auto-Rickshaw Driver
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Photo by Shashi Uttam |
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In a tragic incident, a 30-year old auto-rickshaw driver was killed when a poorly-erected hoarding weighing several hundred kilograms and 50' tall outside Rajendra Nagar Terminal in Patna on Wednesday morning collapsed on an auto-rickshaw stand crushing several auto-rickshaws while also injuring four others.
As reported, Raju Thakur who was waiting for passengers in his auto-rickshaw didn't even have time to realize what that big noise was as the mangled steel frames came down on top of his and other drivers' vehicle causing serious injuries to his head.
He was rushed to a nearby private nursing home where he died within minutes.
The incident caused a riot-like situation as hundreds of people including auto-rickshaw and rickshaw drivers, passengers, and vendors demanding justice for Thakur's family, attacked the railway station and broke glass windows causing injuries to more than half a dozen people including a woman.
Senior police officials arrived at the scene of tragedy and after much efforts, brought the situation under control.
Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) MP Ram Kripal Yadav also visited the site and demanded monetary compensation and a government job to one of the close kin of Raju Thakur.
The Railways, in the meantime, gave Rs. 15,000 to the family of Thakur and Rs. 500 to another individual who was slightly hurt in the accident.
Meanwhile, efforts are on to identify the contractor who put up the huge hoarding without proper support and in violation of the existing codes to set up such signs.
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