3 WCL employees killed in mishap near Nagpur

Nagpur, May 4 (UNI) Three employees of public sector coal company Western Coalfields Limited (WCL) were killed and another injured seriously in a road accident near Nagpur in Vidarbha region of Maharashtra.

According to the police, the mishap occurred when the speeding car they were travelling in, went out of control after one of its tyres burst, and rammed into a Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) but coming from the opposite direction, near Bothli village, about 20 km from here on Nagpur-Wardha Road, late last night.

Two of the occupants, identified as J P Thakur (57), Chief General Manager (Civil) at WCL's headquarters here, and A K Devnani (46), Personal Secretary to the Director (Technical), died on the spot, while the driver, identified as K S Bagde (55), died on way to hospital, the police said.

The fourth occupant of the car, identified as A P Singh, Chief General Manager (Sales) of WCL, sustained serious injuries and is undergoing treatment at a private hospital here, the police said.

The four employees were returning to the city after a visit to WCL's coal mines in Majri area in Chandrapur district of the region, they said. Several passengers travelling on the MSRTC bus, which was on its way from Nagpur to Buldhana, also sustained minor injuries.

A WCL spokesman said that Mr Thakur hailed from Bhatkundi in Bhagalpur district in Bihar, while Mr Devnani was from Katora Talab in Raipur in Chhattisgarh. Mr Bagde was a local resident, the spokesman added.

UNI