6-year-old boy mowed down by speeding car in UP's Ballia, villagers block highway in protest

Ballia (UP), Jun 23 (PTI) A six-year-old boy was mowed down by a car here on Monday, triggering public outrage, with villagers briefly blocking a highway, police said.

The accident occurred near Halpur village in the Bansdih area, following which protestors blocked traffic on the Bansdih-Maniyar highway for nearly two hours.

According to police, the child, Ayush (6), was mowed down by the car, whose driver fled the scene with the vehicle after the accident.

During the protest, the boy's family and locals staged a road blockade, disrupting vehicular movement on the highway, they said. Senior police and administrative officials reached the spot and tried to pacify the crowd.

Bansdih Station House Officer (SHO) Sanjay Singh said the roadblock was lifted after two hours following dialogue with the agitated villagers.

Based on a complaint filed by the boy's father, Anjani Sahni, a case has been registered against the unidentified driver. Further investigations are underway, the SHO said. PTI COR KIS OZ OZ