Uttar Pradesh minister's nephew drugged, looted

Lucknow, Sep 28 (IANS) Nephew of Uttar Pradesh transport minister Ram Achal Rajbhar was drugged and looted in a roadways bus while he was on his way to Lucknow from Ambedkar Nagar, the police said Sunday.

Umesh Rajbhar had boarded an Akbarpur roadways depot bus to reach Luckow. He was found in an unconscious state by the bus staff near Faizabad.

Rajbhar represents Akbarpur seat in Ambedkar Nagar district.

'Umesh was brought to the hospital in serious condition and is presently in the ICU. However, he is now stable,' hospital superintendent R.P. Pandey told IANS on phone.

The bus staff recognised him from a slip of paper that mentioned him to be the minister's nephew.

Such incidents are frequent in Faizabad and adjoining districts, specially on the capital bound buses and trains.

The minister visited the Faizabad hospital Sunday and assured a drive to check similar incidents.

'I will personally supervise the drive and have directed the police to start it in the first week of October,' Rajbhar told journalists in Faizabad.

All the conductors and drivers of the buses have been instructed to be vigilant and to call the police if they notice any suspicious passengers, he added.