UNI Correspondent Yogendra Shukla dies in accident

Aurangabad, June 27 (UNI) Yogendra Shukla, Special Correspondent of United News of India (UNI) working at its head office in Delhi, died in a road accident near Bhokarwadi in the Pachod area, about 60 km from here, in the early hours of today.

Shukla (58), along with his wife and two daughters, was on his way to Aurangabad in a car, returning from a pilgrimage to Aunda Nagnath and Parli Vaijanath when the vehicle collided head-on with a speeding goods truck.

The car driver Balasaheb Salve, a resident of Kranti Nagar, died on the spot. The truck driver fled from the accident spot, abandoning his vehicle.

The car was spotted by former Shiv Sena MLA from Ambad, Shivaji Chothhe and Pachod Zilla parishad member Vilas Bhumre, who were coming from Aurangabad. They rushed the occupants of the car to the nearby Pachod rural hospital, where the driver was declared brought dead, while the injured family was administered first aid.

Later, Shukla and his family members were shifted to the city's Dhoot Hospital, where he breathed his last at 0130 hrs. The condition of his wife, Shilarani (50), and daughters Samiksha (30) and Daksha (28) was stated to be stable.

Daksha is presently working in the editorial department of UNI in Delhi.

Shukla, who joined UNI in 1979, worked in its various offices, including those in Bhopal, Agra, Raipur and Ujjain. Since 1998, he had been working in the Delhi office.

Several Congress leaders and journalists have mourned the demise of Shukla.

UNI