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8 killed as double-decker bus rams into another on Purvanchal Expressway in Barabanki
There were 36 passengers in the two double-decker buses and the police suspected the driver was sleepy at the time of the accident
LUCKNOW As many as eight people were killed and 16 others badly injured when a Delhi-bound double-decker bus rammed into a parked bus on the Purvanchal Expressway in UP’s Barabanki district on Monday morning, said police.
The accident took place near an eatery close to Narendrapur Madraha village. A private double-decker bus from Bihar’s Muzaffarpur, on its way to Delhi, collided with another bus parked on the expressway under the Lonikatra police station area. The parked bus was on its way to Delhi from Sitamarhi, also in Bihar. There were 36 passengers altogether in the two double-decker buses and the police suspected the driver was sleepy at the time of the accident, said cops.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed grief over the incident and said the state government was providing all possible help to the victims. “The accident on Purvanchal Expressway in Barabanki is extremely saddening. I express my condolences to those who have lost their loved ones. Along with this, I wish speedy recovery to all injured. Under the supervision of the state government, the local administration is engaged in providing all possible help,” Modi was quoted as saying in a tweet by his office.
Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath too expressed grief over the loss of lives and directed officials to ensure adequate treatment of the injured.
“The loss of lives in a road accident on Purvanchal Expressway is very sad. Instructions have been given to the officials concerned for speedy relief and rescue operations and proper treatment of the injured. May Lord Shri Ram grant peace to the departed souls and speedy recovery to the injured,” the CM wrote on twitter.
“So far, eight people have died and 16 have suffered severe injuries. The seriously injured people were shifted to the Trauma Centre in Lucknow while others with mild injuries are being treated at a local community health centre,” said Anurag Vats, SP (Barabanki).
He said the post-mortem examination of the bodies was underway while arrangements were made for the other bus passengers to carry on their journey.
A few passengers, who were in the stationary bus, said the impact of the collision was so high that it took almost 10-15 minutes to realize what had happened. “We heard a loud thud. Later, we realised that it was an accident,” a passenger said.
Last week, a speeding truck had mowed down six Kanwarias in Hathras district. The pilgrims were returning from Haridwar and were on their way to Bhopal.
On July 20, chief minister Yogi Adityanath had expressed condolence over the death of five people in a road accident in UP’s Rae Bareli. In June this year, two persons were killed and three injured on the Gonda-Balrampur highway in an accident between a roadways bus and a car. Inputs from Agency
