LUCKNOW: At least 29 people were killed and several left critically injured when a Delhi-bound sleeper bus of Awadh Depot from Lucknow fell in a drain on Yamuna Expressway on early Monday morning. The UP Roadways bus, loaded with passengers, went 15 ft deep into the drain from the over the bridge of the expressway owing to high speed near Aitmadpur in Agra district. It left around 20 people injured.

After the incident, Agra DM NG Ravi Kumar, SSP Bablu Kumar and Fatehpur Sikri MP Rajkumar Chahar had reached the spot and rescue operations were underway. All the injured persons were admitted to Krishna hospital in trans-Yamuna area and SN Medical College in Agra.

Taking cognizance of the incident, UP CM Yogi Adityanath expressed grief and dismay. The UP surface transport department announced Rs 5 lakh ex-gratia to the family of each deceased and Rs 2.5 lakh to those injured. 

The CM sent Deputy CM Dinesh Sharma and Transport minister Swantantra Deo Singh to Agra to assess the situation and give a report to the CM. Even district administration including the IG Agra, Divisional Commissioner and Transport Commissioner would produce a report on the reasons for the accident within 24 hours.

As per the transport sources, Awadh Depot's Janrath Expressway Roadways sleeper bus no. UP33 AT5877 had left Lucknow for Anand Vihar station in New Delhi. 

The bus was in high speed and the driver allegedly lost control over the wheels after dozing off while driving. Consequently, the bus loaded with 46 passengers fell in 'jharna nala' at Kuberpur in Agra on 165-km long Yamuna Expressway.

The dead included 27 male passengers and two girls – a 2-year-old and a 15-year-old. The sources said that the bus got into the drain filled with mud. It got totally mangled due to the impact of height from which it fell into the drain. 

The roof was ripped off in the middle as it smashed the safety railing and fell on the black waters of the large drain.

The police said that at least 27 bodies were recovered from the partially submerged bus and even cranes were put into service to take the bus out of the drain. As per the local sources, most of the passengers were sleeping at the time of the incident. 

The residents of adjoining villages heard a loud sound and they rushed to rescue the passengers. “We had taken out at least 18 bodies from the drain when the police reached the spot,” said a villager.

"Pained by accident on Delhi-Agra expressway. May God give strength to the kind of the deceased, my condolences with the families. I pray for a speedy recovery of those injured," Union Minister Piyush Goyal tweeted.

Even Defence Minister Rajnath Singh also expressed grief over the incident. 

“Saddened by the news of Yamuna Expressway bus accident. Have spoken to Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath,” tweeted Singh.

Meanwhile, expressing grief over the accident, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav demanded Rs 50 lakh compensation each for the families of those who lost their lives.