Underpass or foot overbridge could’ve saved their lives: Kin of 4 men run over by bus in Gr Noida

They were working in Hero Motors Company, which is situated in Badalpur police station area. The incident took place when the workers, who were heading to work or going home after the change in shift around 11.30 pm, were crossing the road and the bus hit them. Police said no passenger in the bus was injured.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath also expressed his condolences to the family members. “The Chief minister has instructed the District Magistrate and senior police officers to go to the spot and get relief work done. Along with this, instructions have been given for proper treatment of the injured,” said a tweet by the UP CMO.

An official announcement on compensation for the families is yet to be made.

Following news of their deaths, the victims’ families reached the spot and expressed anger at the lack of proper infrastructure to cross the road.

Waiting in front of the company gate in hope of some help from the authorities, Sagar Kumar (22), Tankeshwar’s cousin, said: “There is no underpass or foot overbridge in the area. There is no signal or zebra crossing. You can see for yourself how busy this road is. People cross the road at their own risk. These facilities could have saved the lives of all the men… Ye toh mazdoor ki majboori hai (this is the helplessness of a labourer). If we had even a little money, why would we have to come here and be run over by a bus. Look at us, our family member has lost his life and we still have to beg for help.”

Kumar, who hails from Bihar’s Munger and works as a labourer in Delhi, said he received a call at 2 am about the incident: “We could not sleep. We came here as soon as we could. Tankeshwar was working here for around four years.

He was the eldest brother. One of his younger brothers also works in this company. His father is a labourer in Kolkata.”

“Tankeshwar wanted to study further but couldn’t due to the family’s poor financial condition. He had done a BA but did not get any job. Through a contractor, he somehow managed to get a job here. He hoped that after earning some money, he would be able to study further,” he added.

Fantoos Das (25), Mohril’s cousin, also expressed anger over the lack of traffic safety facilities. “Just one foot overbridge or a wide footpath could have saved their lives. I had promised Mohril, while we were in our village, that we would meet in Delhi… He started working in the company just two months ago,” said Das, who hails from Bihar’s Banka district.

He said Mohril got married around two years ago. “We hope we can get some help from the government. I do not know whether Mohril and his colleagues were covered under any insurance scheme, but the company and the government must support us. How else will their families survive?” said Das, who works in Delhi as a labourer.

Police said the driver of the bus is on the run, but they have traced his location. “We have received information that the driver is from a village in Bulandshahr and are trying to catch him at the earliest,” said SHO (Badalpur) Ravindra Kumar. The vehicle has been seized.

The three injured men, Anuj, Dharamveer and Sandeep, were initially admitted to the district hospital by Badalpur police and were later referred to Safdarjung Hospital in Delhi. The SHO said one of the injured men is in critical condition.