Major road accident in UP’s Barabanki; at least 18 dead, 19 injured after speeding truck hits bus

Uttar Pradesh: The Barabanki accident occurred at around 1:30 am on an intervening night between Tuesday and Wednesday. While 18 passengers died, as many as 19 others were reported to be gravely injured in the incident.

At least 18 people were killed in a major road accident at Barabanki in Uttar Pradesh after a double-decker bus hit by a speeding truck on the Lucknow-Ayodhya national highway, near the Ram Sanehi Ghat police station area in the district. The incident took place around 1:30 am in the intervening night between Tuesday and Wednesday, reported HT’s sister publication Live Hindustan. As many as 19 passengers were also left gravely injured in the incident, said UP police officials familiar with the development, adding that the wounded passengers were rushed to the district hospital for emergency medical treatment.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi conveyed his condolences over the tragic mishap at Barabanki and said that arrangements are being made for the proper treatment of all those injured in the incident. He also said that the central government will be providing ₹2 lakh from the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund (PMNRF) as ex-gratia to the next of kin of passengers who lost their lives. The injured will be provided ₹50,000 each, he said.

Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath also expressed his deepest condolences and prayed for the departed souls, issuing additional orders to provide treatment to all those injured in the accident. All possible help and relief will be provided to the affected people, the chief minister said.

Speaking to reporters at the hospital, Lucknow Zone ADG Satya Narayan Sabat confirmed that as many as 18 people have died in the “tragic mishap” that took place last night on the highway near Ram Sanehi Ghat in the Barabanki district. Several others still remain stuck under the bus, he said, adding that a rescue operation is currently underway. “Most of the passengers hailed from various districts in Bihar, including Sitamarhi and Saharsa,” the police official said. “They were returning to their native state from Punjab and Haryana, where they had put up for work.”