Two individuals, including a 17-year-old, lost their lives in Uttar Pradesh’s Gonda today when a Toyota Fortuner SUV collided with a bike. The SUV is associated with the convoy of Karan Bhushan Singh, BJP candidate for the Kaiserganj Lok Sabha seat and the son of six-time MP and former wrestling figure Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh.
Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh garnered national attention after being accused of sexual harassment by top wrestlers in the country. Recently, a Delhi court pressed charges against him in the case. These allegations purportedly influenced his exclusion from the electoral ticket this time. Instead, the BJP nominated his son Karan, who also has ties to wrestling administration. His other son, Pratik Bhushan Singh, currently serves as MLA from the Gonda seat.
Footage from the accident scene displays the SUV labeled with “police escort” on the rear windshield, indicating its association with a VIP convoy. The vehicle, with the registration number UP32HW1800, is reportedly linked to the Nandini Nagar educational institute operated by Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh’s family.
As per the FIR, the complainant Chanda Begum reported that around 9 am today, her 17-year-old son Rehan and 24-year-old nephew Shahzad were riding a bike to purchase medicines when the speeding SUV from the opposite direction collided with them. Both individuals succumbed to their injuries on the spot. A 60-year-old woman identified as Sita Devi sustained injuries and is undergoing treatment at the hospital. Following the accident, a large crowd gathered at the scene as the victims’ families demanded justice.
The driver has been apprehended, and the SUV has been confiscated by the police. It remains unconfirmed whether Karan Bhushan Singh was present with the convoy during the accident. Senior police officer Radheysham Rai stated that the victims’ bodies have been sent for autopsy, and investigations are ongoing.
Farman Khan, a relative of the victims, recounted arriving at the scene to find blood on the road and the youths being taken to the hospital. He mentioned that local residents informed them about Karan Bhushan Singh’s convoy passing through and the Fortuner colliding with the bike. “When we went to the hospital, doctors told us our children are dead. Please get us justice. We cannot think,” he pleaded.
