Patna: A youth's death after being hit by a speeding bus sparked widespread violence in Patna on Friday, with protesters torching vehicles, attacking police personnel, vandalising public property and bringing traffic on a key stretch of National Highway-30 to a grinding halt for several hours.
The violence broke out after a youth, identified as Manish Kumar was allegedly run over by a speeding bus near the Pahari Pump House under Agamkuan police station limits. He died on the spot, while the driver abandoned the vehicle and fled, police said.
As the protest intensified, the crowd turned violent, setting the bus involved in the accident ablaze and torching three police vehicles. Protesters ransacked a traffic police outpost, damaged CCTV cameras, and hurled stones at police personnel attempting to clear the highway. The unrest paralysed traffic on NH-30, leaving thousands of commuters stranded in a tailback stretching nearly 10 KMs.
Police reinforcements were rushed to the area after clashes erupted between security personnel and protesters. Journalists covering the protest were also reportedly assaulted by sections of the mob. Police have registered separate FIRs regarding the fatal accident and the subsequent violence, including charges of arson, vandalism, assault on police personnel and destruction of public property.
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Police are analysing CCTV footage, mobile phone videos and other digital evidence to identify those involved in the violence. Officials said all those responsible for torching vehicles, attacking police personnel and damaging government property would be identified and prosecuted. Security has been stepped up in the area to prevent any further flare-up, while the victim's body has been sent for post-mortem examination.
The victim's family and local residents demanded the immediate arrest of the driver and stricter measures to curb frequent accidents on the busy highway. Protesters alleged that repeated fatalities caused by speeding heavy vehicles had turned the stretch into an accident-prone corridor.
