 "The truck-bus collision in Bareilly")
At least 24 passengers were charred to death and 15 injured when a bus collided head-on with a truck and burst into flames on National Highway 24 early on Monday.
The bus of the Uttar Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (UPSRTC) carrying 41 passengers from Delhi was on its way to Gonda in eastern Uttar Pradesh when the accident took place near Bada bypass.
Senior Superintendent of Police Jogendra Kumar said, "The accident involving a bus of UPSRTC and a truck took place between 1.00 am and 1.30 am. 24 passengers died, while 15 sustained injuries. Six passengers are critical and have been hospitalised," he said.
Initially the number of those injured was placed at 15, but the name of one more passenger was added to the list taking the number to 16, of whom two died during treatment.
Three passengers escaped with minor injuries.
According to eyewitnesses, the bodies have been charred beyond recognition.
The number of male and female passengers who died in the accident would be clear only after the post-mortem, Chief Medical Officer, Bareilly, Dr Vijay Yadav, said.
Agarwal, who flew in here from Lucknow in a helicopter on instructions of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath to supervise relief operations, said, "A DNA test will be performed on all bodies."
Agarwal was accompanied by two of his ministerial colleagues Swatantradev Singh and Brijesh Pathak.
The driver of the bus is also among the deceased, while the conductor received serious injuries.
The driver of the truck, which was coming from Shahjehanpur, is absconding.
"The truck and the bus both caught fire after the collision. Fire engines reached as soon as possible but the flames were so high that it took us a lot of effort to actually douse the flames and reach inside", said senior police officer SK Bhagat.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi condoled the loss of lives and sanctioned Rs 2 lakh each to the kin of those killed.He also announced Rs 50,000 for each of those injured.
The chief minister announced financial assistance of Rs 2 lakh each to the kin of the deceased, Rs 50,000 to the seriously injured and Rs 25,000 for those whogot minor injuries.
Agarwal, who belongs to Bareilly, however, said the compensation would be paid only after after the identity of the deceased was established.
He also instructed the officials to ensure adequate medical treatment for the injured persons.
