Suspended BJP leader accused of crushing 9 children to death surrenders

Patna: A suspended BJP leader who was absconding since Saturday after being accused of crushing nine school children to death and injuring 20 others while driving an SUV in an inebriated state has surrendered in Bihar's Muzaffarpur on Wednesday.

After the arrest, Baitha was shifted to Patna Medical College & Hospital from Sri Krishna Medical College & Hospital for treatment of the injuries he suffered during the accident.

According to a report in NDTV, Baitha will be produced in a court later in the day.

Manoj Baitha had become a source of embarrassment for the BJP, which rules Bihar in alliance with Janata Dal United (JDU) as the opposition launched a scathing political attack over the incident.

Sources say he surrendered after the BJP leadership in the state firmly asked him to do.

At least nine children were killed and about 20 injured when the speeding vehicle, driven by Manoj Baitha, lost control and ploughed through them outside a government school building on the outskirts of Muzaffarpur on Saturday.

The BJP leader from Sitamarhi allegedly got off the car and ran after he hit the children on Saturday. The complaint -- filed by a man who lost five grandchildren in the accident -- also said footage from CCTV cameras in the area showed Baitha was driving the car.

Congress president Rahul Gandhi also took on Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and mocked him over prohibition in the state.

Former Bihar chief minister and RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav's wife Rabri Devi said that until Manoj Baitha is arrested, her party will not allow the Bihar Assembly to run. She said, "The government should be ashamed, there is no complete ban on liquor, it is available easily. Until Manoj Baitha is arrested we will not let the house (Bihar Assembly) run."

Former deputy chief minister of Bihar and son of Lalu Prasad Yadav, Tejaswi Yadav also reacted strongly against the incident and said, "Prohibition in Bihar is a farce and the ghastly incident of Muzaffarpur, where a drunk BJP leader crushed nine children to death and left more than 20 others injured, proves our point."

Also read: Tejaswi attacks Nitish for his silence over Muzaffarpur hit-and-run case

Opposition parties, on Tuesday, also staged protest outside Bihar Legislative Assembly over the Muzaffarpur hit and run case.

The BJP suspended party leader Manoj Baitha, a district level leader of Sitamarhi, from primary membership of the party for a period of six year.

At least nine children were killed and about 20 injured when the speeding vehicle, driven by Manoj Baitha, lost control and ploughed through them outside a government school building on the outskirts of Muzaffarpur on Saturday.

The BJP leader from Sitamarhi allegedly got off the car and ran after he hit the children on Saturday. The complaint -- filed by a man who lost five grandchildren in the accident -- also said footage from CCTV cameras in the area showed Baitha was driving the car.