Jhansi: Three persons, including two women and the driver died and four others were injured when their van rammed into a stationary lorry on Jhansi-Khajuraho highway on Friday.
The incident occurred near Bhangra in Uldan police station arae. Members of an orchestra ensemble, were returning from the Rath area of Jalaun district after a musical performance. Their van was passing through Uldan, when the driver lost control and crashed into a lorry.
The collision was so severe that the vehicle was severely damaged. It tookover an hour to extricate the dead and the injured before clearing the highway using a crane and a cutter. The driver, Manish Rajpoot, 33, succumbed instantly, while Shabnam, 24, of Jhansi and Mini Ahirwar of Tikamgarh district (MP) were pronounced dead upon arrival at the Jhansi medical college, where the remaining injured are receiving treatment.
CO Ajay Kumar Shrotriya said that all three bodies have been sent for postmortem examination. "It appears that the driver fell asleep while driving, which resulted in the accident", the CO said. tnn