Eighteen people died after a truck rammed into a bus around which they were sleeping on a road in Uttar Pradesh’s Barabanki district, police said on Wednesday. They were reportedly crushed by the bus.
The accident took place on the Lucknow-Ayodhya highway in Ramsanehi Ghat area around midnight. The victims, labourers working in Haryana and Punjab, were returning home to Bihar when the axle of the bus malfunctioned, said police.
S.N. Sabat, ADG Lucknow, said many of those travelling in the bus decided to sleep in front of the vehicle or on the sides as the bus driver told them the repair work would take time.
Eighteen persons were confirmed dead till now, he said.
PTI adds:
PM condoles loss of lives, announces ex-gratia
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday expressed grief at the loss of lives in a road accident in Uttar Pradesh's Barabanki district and extended his condolences to the bereaved families.
In a tweet, Mr. Modi said he has also spoken to Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and arrangements are being made for the proper treatment of the injured.
Mr. Modi also announced an ex-gratia of ₹2 lakh each from the Prime Minister's National Relief Fund for the next of kin of the deceased. The injured would be given ₹50,000 each.
Priyanka asks Cong. workers to extend help
Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Wednesday condoled the loss of lives in a road accident in Uttar Pradesh's Barabanki district, and asked party workers to extend all possible help to those affected by the incident.
"I was deeply saddened by the news of the road accident in Barabanki. My deepest condolences to the families of the deceased. I pray to God for the speedy recovery of the injured," the Congress leader said in a tweet in Hindi.
The Congress general secretary also appealed to party workers to extend all possible help to the people affected by the accident
