Stuck in traffic during Prez Kovind's Kanpur visit, UP woman dies; 4 Cops suspended

Four policemen were suspended on Saturday in connection with the death of a 50-year-old ailing woman who allegedly got held up at a traffic stop in Kanpur during President Ram Nath Kovind's visit late on Friday night.

In a statement on Saturday, the Kanpur police said that an additional DCP-rank police officer has been asked to conduct an inquiry into the incident, the statement added.

According to police, deceased Vandana Mishra was the chairperson of the women's wing of the Indian Industries Association.

Stuck in traffic during Prez Kovind's Kanpur visit

She was being taken to a hospital as she suffered from post-Covid complications and needed urgent medical help, her husband Sharad Mishra said. Her family also alleged that they requested the policemen to allow their car to pass through, but they did not relent.

"Our family is shattered. Doctors told us had she reached in time, she could have been saved," Mishra's husband said after performing the cremation rituals at Bhairon Ghat in Kanpur on Saturday afternoon.

On learning about the woman's death, the President called Kanpur police commissioner Asim Arun and district magistrate Alok Tiwari to the circuit house. The police chief and the district magistrate visited the ghat on Saturday and condoled the family members of the deceased on behalf of the President.

Arun also apologised on behalf of the Kanpur police. "We pledge that our route system in future will be such that citizens are stopped for the minimum time so that such incidents are not repeated," he tweeted.

In the evening, the Kanpur police issued a statement saying that sub-inspector Sunil Kumar and three constables have been suspended for holding the traffic for a prolonged period. Additional DCP (South) Basant Lal has been asked to conduct the inquiry into the incident, said the statement.

The traffic was stopped near the Govindpuri railway overbridge as the presidential train, in which the president was travelling with his family, was about to pass. According to eyewitnesses, the traffic was at a standstill for more than 50 minutes.

The condition of Mishra, who lived with her family in Kidwai Nagar, had deteriorated due to post-Covid complications. She had tested Covid positive in May. Though she recovered, she was facing (health) issues, her family said.

She was being taken to a private hospital in Govind Nagar when the car got held up at the traffic stop. She was complaining of shortness of breath since evening. By the time she reached the hospital, she was dead, her family said.

Police said the rail cavalcade comprising two more trains apart from than the presidential train had to pass that point at a specific interval. The traffic could not have been allowed as per the security protocol. Policemen had their instruction and they could not timely clear the jam, which had grown immensely, police said.

Stay tuned with the newstrack to get fastest updates. Click @englishnewstrack to follow us on Facebook and @newstrackmedia to follow on Twitter.