At least 17 people died after bus collided with a truck in Bareilly. (ANI)
At least 22 people were charred to death after a truck collided with a bus in on National Highway in Bareilly district of Uttar Pradesh in the wee hours of Monday. 15 others were injured in the accident and were taken to nearby hospitals. Speaking to news agency PTI, 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. 22 passengers of the bus died, while 15 sustained injuries. Six passengers are critically injured and have been hospitalised,” he said.
According to police officials, both the vehicles caught fire after the collision. “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”, a senior police officer, SK Bhagat, told reporters. Police also said that the diesel tank was completely damaged in the accident because of the impact of the collision.
The Uttar Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation bus, carrying 41 passengers, was on its way from New Delhi to Gonda district, when the accident took place near Bada bypass. The eyewitnesses claimed that the bodies of the deceased were burnt beyond recognition. According to PTI, the bus driver lost his life in the accident, while the conductor has suffered serious injuries. The driver of the truck is absconding. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh for the kin of deceased and Rs 50,000 for injured victims.
