Kushinagar accident: Yogi Adityanath asks protesters to stop 'narebaazi', 'nautanki'
After 13 children were killed and eight others seriously injured in a train-school van collision, Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath reached the accident spot near Kushinagar on Thursday. He was met with protesters angry at the tragedy that could have been prevented had the crossing been manned. But instead of empathizing, he slammed them, saying, "Narebaazi band karo, nautanki band karo," reported PTI.
The Thawe-Kapatanganj passenger train crashed into Divine Public School's van at the Behpurva unmanned crossing in Kushinagar, 50km away from Gorakhpur. Adityanath said the van driver might be in the wrong. "I spoke to the railway minister. Prima facie, it appears to be the van driver's fault. He was driving with his ear-phones on. Even things have come forward regarding his age," he said.
Meanwhile, Divine Public School has been shut down and its principal arrested. In the wake of the accident, it has been found out that the school, which claimed to be affiliated with the CBSE, is actually not registered with the board. This has also brought under scanner the local district authorities, responsible for ensuring that all educational institutions operate under valid licenses.
Railway minister Piyush Goyal has announced a compensation of Rs. 2 lakh for the family of every child killed. The Railways will also make an ex gratia payment of Rs. 1 lakh to the families of those grievously injured and Rs. 50,000 to the ones who have suffered regular injuries. The injured, including the driver, are under medical supervision at Gorakhpur's BRD Medical College.
