12 handicapped vendors attempt suicide, five die

Varanasi, Aug 1 (UNI) Five of the 12 street-side physically handicapped vendors, who attempted suicide in the Gurubag area here yesterday, died while another was in critical condition at Banaras Hindu University (BHU) hospital.

The dead vendors include Radhey alias Rajesh Kumar Maurya, Tribhuwan Mishra, Gurudev, Ram Chand and Mangroo Prasad, while Rajesh was stated to be in critical condition at the hospital.

The other six vendors were being treated in the same hospital and are stated to be out of danger.

''Out of the 11 vendors who were brought for treatment at BHU hospital yesterday, five had consumed Aluminum Phosphate,'' Deputy Medical Superintendent of BHU hospital Anand Srivastava said.

The remaining six patients had not consumed Aluminum Phosphate but might have taken sleeping pills or any other substance, he added.

Those who are suspected to have consumed sleeping pills or any other low intensity poisonous substance include the self-styled leader of the handicapped vendors Namo Narayan and also a beggar who alleges that he consumed the tablets at the behest of those who assured that consuming the substance will fetch him a street-side shop or a vehicle for disabled persons in future.

''I have been begging alms at Rajghat and some leaders took me to Gurubag and asked me to consume tablets yesterday, assuring me that if I did so I would get a street-side shop or at least a vehicle for handicapped in future,'' Khalil-ur-Rehman, a native of Malda (West Bengal) told mediapersons today.

Namo Narayan and Ravi Banerjee have been arrested and a case was also registered against them. The FIR also mentions the role of representatives of two premier news channels in instigating the agitating vendors to attempt suicide.

''Thorough investigations will be conducted in the role of two electronic mediapersons in the entire episode,'' Senior Police Superintendent S B Shirodkar said.

A magisterial probe headed by ADM (City) Indra Vikram Singh has also been ordered which will go simultaneously with the police investigations into the case.

Meanwhile, an immediate relief of Rs 20,000 each has been sanctioned to the next of kin of those who died in the incident, District officials said.

The handicapped vendors who resorted to the extreme step at Gurubag under Luxa police station area were protesting the anti-encroachment drive of the Varanasi Nagar Nigam.

UNI