Overview
- Local police say a passenger bus veered into spectators at a roadside orchestra held for a newborn in Bankatwa village, Bettiah, killing five people and injuring others.
- Authorities identified the five victims as Bahadur Mahato, Sanjay Kumar, Bhola Dubey, Devendra Dubey and Changur Ram, and noted that Devendra Dubey was the child’s father.
- Police described the crash as occurring when the bus and an oncoming truck lost balance while trying to avoid a collision, with the bus reported to have been travelling toward Bettiah from Gorakhpur.
- Injured survivors were taken to the government hospital in Bettiah, some in serious condition, and the dead have been sent for post-mortem examinations as police continue to probe the circumstances.
- Anger in the village led residents to block the nearby highway after the bodies were returned, and protesters demanded compensation and jobs for affected families while local officials moved to calm the scene.