Muzaffarpur children hit and run: accused BJP leader surrenders

On Saturday, Manoj Baitha’s speeding SUV hit 9 children in Muzaffarpur who were returning home from school. Allegedly, Baitha was driving the car under alcohol influence

Two days after the BJP leader’s car mowed down 9 children in Bihar’s Muzaffarpur, the accused leader surrendered to the police. Manoj Baitha, a district level BJP worker was drunk driving when his speeding car hit 9 children. Reportedly, the children were returning home after school. After the widespread outrage in the area, an FIR was filed against him.

As the news caught national attention, the saffron party too, on Monday suspended him for a period of six years.

On Saturday, 9 children from Muzaffarpur’s Dharampur Middle School were returning home from school. While crossing the national highway, a speeding SUV mowed them down. Incidentally, the car was owned by Manoj Baitha. It is also alleged that Manoj Baitha was drunk driving the car when it hit the children.

‘नशामुक्त बिहार’ में नशे में धुत एक भाजपा नेता ने 9 मासूम बच्चों को मार दिया!

नीतीश जी क्या यही है आपकी शराबबंदी की सच्चाई?

आपकी अंतरात्मा की आवाज आज किसे बचा रही है – आरोपी भाजपा नेता को या बिहार में शराब की सच्चाई को?

— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) February 26, 2018

According to the Bihar police, the children who were mowed down were all aged between 7 to 13 years. Baitha too suffered some injuries during the accident. According to his family, he has incurred most of the injuries on his face and head, due to which he is finding it difficult to speak and is talking only using sign language.
The police have now shifted Manoj Baitha to Patna Medical College.

#Muzaffarpur Hit & Run Case: Accused #ManojBaitha admitted at Patna Medical College for treatment of injuries he suffered in the accident, that killed 9 school students, denies driving the vehicle involved in the incident. pic.twitter.com/IBzjEoTmOD

— ANI (@ANI) February 28, 2018

Though he is accused of driving under alcohol influence, Baitha and his family members have denied it.

Meanwhile, Congress President Rahul Gandhi tweeted about the incident yesterday and slammed the Bihar government. Taking a jibe at Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s drive of Alcohol Ban, he asked, “Nitish ji, is this the truth behind your Alcohol ban drive?” Accusing the government of saving the accused, he further asked whom Nitish Kumar’s inner voice is saving.

Nitish Kumar, however, expressed grief over the incident calling it a road rage incident. He expressed concern over the growing number of cases and assured that strict action will be taken against the culprits.