Onlooker runover by escort vehicles of Prez convoy

Team Udayavani, Feb 26, 2022, 5:53 PM IST

An onlooker was accidentally run over by three police escort vehicles belonging to President Ram Nath Kovind’s carcade at Bokakhat in Golaghat district of Assam and died on the spot on Saturday, a minister the state cabinet said.

Police is, however, yet to confirm the incident.

Rameswar Rabidas, who hails from Milanpur of Bokakhat, was waiting along NH-37 when Kovind’s convoy was on way to Kohora range of Kaziranga National Park from a temporary helipad at Bokakhat.

Sources said that one of the last three police escort vehicles of the carcade hit and ran over the person. It was followed by two other vehicles, killing the victim on the spot.

The vehicles did not stop and sped away.

Later, locals called an ambulance and sent the body to a nearby hospital for necessary formalities.

Local TV channels showed gory visuals of a man lying in a pool of blood on the road and then being taken away in an ambulance.

Assam Agriculture Minister and Bokakhat MLA Atul Bora, who received Kovind at the helipad and was travelling in the convoy, confirmed the accident.

”Yes, I have heard about the accident in which one person was killed. But I do not know whose escort vehicles hit him. I did not have any escort today and my vehicle did not hit him,” Bora told PTI over phone.

He later tweeted, ”Anguished to learn that a person succumbed to injuries sustained in a road mishap involving a vehicle of Govt administration in the Kaziranga area today. My deepest condolences to the deceased’s family. The authorities are helping the affected family in this hour of grief.” Sources said that the escort vehicles belonged to Golaghat district superintendent of police Sumeet Sharma but no confirmation on the incident could be got from the police despite a number of attempts.

After several calls were made to the SP to confirm the incident, Sharma replied tersely ”Please call after two hours. I am with the Honourable President right now.” His answer was the same when called again after an hour. WhatsApp messages sent to two phone numbers of the SP seeking confirmation of the accident remained unanswered.

Repeated calls were made and WhatsApp messages sent to Special DGP (Law and Order) G P Singh, who is in Kaziranga National Park to oversee security arrangements in view of the president’s visit there, also went unanswered.

A call made to Assam Director General of Police Bhaskar Jyoti Mahanta for information on the incident did not get any response. The president had reached Bokakhat on Saturday to visit the famous Kaziranga National Park and Tiger reserve and take a jeep safari at its Bagori range after attending the 19th convocation of Tezpur University. During his overnight stay in the Park, he will view a photo and archival exhibition on conservation there, besides discussing various government initiatives to protect the forest, which is famous the world over as a habitat of one-horned rhinos.

He will spend Saturday night at the Assam Police Guest House in Kaziranga National Park and go on an elephant safari along with his family on Sunday morning. He will leave Assam later in the day, officials said.