Truck smashes police booth, constable among four killed

LUCKNOW: A speeding truck carrying iron scrap rammed into a police booth near Cinema Chauraha in Hardoi on Saturday night, smashing it completely and resulting in the death of a UP police constable, two homeguard jawans and a local resident.
The truck lost control and hit the booth while mowing down constable Manzoor Faruqui (32), two homeguards, Shirishchand and Subhash Kumar, and hitting two more persons standing near it at around 11.45pm.The condition of the fifth victim is extremely critical, said police.
Cinema Chauraha outpost in-charge sub-inspector Nazmul had a narrow escape as he had parked his motorcycle and stepped aside just in time.
The truck heading towards Shahjahanpur also crushed two motorcycles of policemen. An explosion took place in one of the motorcycles which got entangled in the chassis of the truck which caught fire but the driver did not stop still.
“It was scary to see the burning truck moving on city road. The tyres of the truck were reduced to ashes. The driver ran away leaving the truck on the road when flames engulfed the heavy vehicle,” said Gaurav Chaudhary, aresident of Awas Vikas colony.
Fire tenders reached the spot and doused the flames IG Lucknow range, Sujeet Pandey reached Hardoi.
A guard of honour was given to constable Manzoor Faruqui (32) on Sunday noon before he was buried. He left behind a four-year-old son and a widow who is carrying another child.
Pandey also met the family of homeguard Shirishchand along with Hardoi SP Vipin Mishra. The other homeguard Subhash Kumar who was injured died at the hospital. The injured fifth victim was battling for his life at KGMU Trauma Centre.
IG said the constable and two homeguards would be given compensation.