 "2 killed, 16 injured as double-decker bus collides with truck in Hathras")
In an incident near Toli village of Thana Sikandrarao in Uttar Pradesh’s Hathras, at least two people lost their lives and 16 others sustained injuries when a double-decker bus collided with a truck on Thursday morning, according to district magistrate Ashish Kumar.
The bus collided with a truck parked on the roadside due to the negligence of the bus driver, resulting in two fatalities and leaving around 16 injured, said Kumar.
Upon receiving the information, Hathras Superintendent of Police (SP) Nipun Aggarwal, along with police officials, rushed to the scene and conducted a rescue operation.
The injured were admitted to a hospital. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has expressed grief over the loss of lives and directed officials to expedite the rescue efforts for the injured, a statement from the CMO mentioned.
The accident follows a similar event in Uttar Pradesh’s Unnao, where 18 people were killed and 19 others injured when a double-decker sleeper bus en route Delhi crashed into a milk tanker on the Agra-Lucknow Expressway. The collision occurred around 5 am near Jojikot village in the Behta Mujawar police station area.
District magistrate Gaurang Rathi reported that the bus, coming from Motihari in Bihar, was speeding and struck the milk tanker from behind. An investigation into the accident has been initiated.
Also Read
Rathi also mentioned that 20 passengers with minor injuries were transferred to Delhi in another bus, which was initially carrying 60 people. The additional director general of police, Lucknow, SB Shiradkar, informed news agency PTI that the accident claimed the lives of 14 men, three women, and a child.
Bangarmau Circle Officer Arvind Kumar detailed the aftermath of the collision, stating that both the bus and the milk tanker overturned. The drivers of both vehicles were among the deceased. The injured were promptly transported to a hospital, where their conditions were reported to be stable.
The crash scene was strewn with shattered glass and personal belongings of the passengers. Cranes were deployed to right the overturned vehicles, which were subsequently towed away. The front portion of the bus was severely damaged, with one side torn open due to the impact.
Initially, police reported that 14 bodies had been identified. However, they later revised this number, confirming that only 10 had been identified so far.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath directed officials to provide the best possible treatment for the injured.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced an ex gratia of Rs 2 lakh for the families of the deceased, expressing his condolences and support during this difficult time.