Gorakhpur, February 17 A sub-inspector was killed and four police personnel, including a woman officer, were injured after a speeding police SUV crashed into a tree in Maharajganj district of Uttar Pradesh on Tuesday morning, an official said.
Circle Officer (Cantt) Yogendra Singh said the accident took place around 6.30 am near the Katarari area under the Shyamdeurwa police station limits when a team from Gorakhpur was returning after conducting a raid in Maharajganj.
According to a preliminary investigation, the driver allegedly fell asleep while driving on the highway. The vehicle first hit the median and then crashed into the tree, Singh said.
"The impact was severe, and the front portion of the Scorpio was badly damaged," the officer said.
The police team comprised Senior Sub-inspector Ramesh Chandra Kushwaha, sub-inspectors Santosh Kumar and Geeta, two constables, and a private driver, the police said.
Local residents rushed to the spot and pulled the injured personnel out of the vehicle before alerting the police. The injured were initially taken to a nearby health facility and later referred to BRD Medical College in Gorakhpur, officials said.
Sub-inspector Santosh Kumar succumbed to his injuries during treatment, the police said.
Senior Sub-inspector Kushwaha and Sub-inspector Geeta are reported to be in critical condition, while the driver is reported to be out of danger. Two other policemen sustained minor injuries, Singh said.
Santosh Kumar was a native of the Sahsarawan village in the Siwan district of Bihar and was posted at the Ramgarhtal police station in Gorakhpur, the police said. Upon receiving information about the incident, his family members left for Gorakhpur.
