LUCKNOW: Three men were killed and another sustained critical injuries after a speeding Tata Safari rammed into their motorcycle on the Ayodhya-Lucknow highway in the Ramsanehighat area of Barabanki district on Sunday.The accident triggered protests, with hundreds of local residents blocking the highway for over an hour.The victims were returning home after attending a community feast (bhandara) in Dharouli ward when the accident occurred around 9 pm. All four were travelling on a single motorcycle.According to information, the victims were identified as Vimlesh (19), son of Ramakant; Anoop (22), son of Dan Bahadur; Anil (20), son of former village head Chhotku; and Gaya Prasad (19), son of Ramjas. All were residents of Dalsinghpur village.The accident occurred when the motorcycle turned to cross the highway. A speeding Tata Safari approaching from behind rammed into the two-wheeler, leaving all four occupants seriously injured.Minister of State Satish Sharma, who was passing through the area, intervened and arranged an ambulance to rush the injured to hospital. Doctors at the Community Health Centre (CHC) declared Vimlesh and Anoop dead on arrival.Gaya Prasad, who was critically injured, was referred to the district hospital for advanced treatment. Anil’s body was subsequently found in bushes in the middle of the highway after an extensive search. Nagar Panchayat chairman Dr Gyan Prakash Yadav brought the body to the hospital.The deaths triggered outrage among residents of Dharouli and Dalsinghpur, with hundreds gathering on the highway and blocking traffic in protest. The blockade continued for more than an hour, leading to a massive traffic jam.Police officials had to make considerable efforts to pacify the protesters and clear the highway.Superintendent of police, Barabanki, Raveena Tyagi, said that efforts were on to arrest the driver of the vehicle and check the antecedents of the SUV.
