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Bodies dangling, falling from windows: Distressing video captures aftermath of Lucknow bus accident
Five passengers died when an overcrowded double-decker private bus overturned near the Purvanchal Expressway toll in Lucknow on Monday
Disturbing visuals of a bus accident near the Purvanchal Expressway toll plaza in Lucknow on Monday afternoon have surfaced on social media, showing bodies dangling from and falling out of the windows during rescue operation.
Three children were among five passengers who died when the overcrowded double-decker private bus overturned, sending 45 others to the hospital and triggering a large-scale rescue operation.
The bus, bearing a Haryana registration number, was travelling from Ludhiana in Punjab to Darbhanga in Bihar with approximately 85 passengers on board when it lost control and overturned around 3 pm, HT earlier quoted deputy commissioner of police (DCP) South Zone Nipun Agarwal as saying.
A distressing video from the crash site has surfaced on social media, showing the overturned bus being lifted upright by a crane during rescue operations, with lifeless victims seen dangling and falling from its windows.
Hindustantimes.com has chosen not to include the graphic visuals from the scene due to the sensitive nature of the content.
Preliminary accounts suggest the vehicle was moving at over 80 kmph at the time, police said, adding that the driver and cleaner allegedly fled.
“The driver and cleaner allegedly fled the scene immediately after the crash. The driver, identified as Sompal, a resident of Naultha in Panipat, Haryana, was subsequently nabbed and taken into police custody,” the Lucknow police said in a statement.
“An FIR has been registered against him under BNS Section 105, culpable homicide not amounting to murder,” the DCP added.
The deceased were identified as Birendra, son of Sikandar Rao, aged around 30, a resident of Sitamadhi in Bihar; Anjali, 8; Priyanshu, around 15; an unidentified boy aged 6; and an unidentified man aged around 30.
Of the 45 injured, 14 were admitted for treatment to KGMU Trauma Centre and 31 are admitted at SGPGI Apex Trauma Centre. Emergency doctors from Lokbandhu Hospital were also called to the scene.
Gosaiganj Police Station received the distress alert at 3:59 pm and launched a rescue operation. The mangled bus was later towed to the toll plaza with the help of a crane.
Lucknow police commissioner Amrendra K Sengar and district magistrate Vishak G visited the hospital to assess the condition of the injured.
