Tragedy hit Pratapgarh after a speeding tanker overturned on a tempo resulting in death of nine passengers besides critical injuries to five occupants of the three-wheeler.

The incident took place near Vikrampur turn in Mohanganj Market under Leelapur police station on Monday afternoon.

District Magistrate Prakash Chandra Srivastava, who reached the spot along with senior police and administrative officers, shifted all the injured to district hospital from where they were referred to medical college hospital in Prayagraj.

Srivastava confirmed nine deaths which included three females, five males and a child. He said that technical teams were summoned immediately after the mishap and traffic was restricted on the route as the tanker which overturned was carrying inflammable gas.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath expressed grief at the deaths in the accident and directed senior officers to extend best medical treatment to those who were injured. He also announced a compensation of Rs 2 lakh to the families of those who died in the mishap and Rs 50,000 to the injured.

The district magistrate of Pratapgarh claimed that besides the compensation announced by the chief minister, the district administration would also provide additional benefits if the victims included any farmer.

According to reports, the tanker was going at a high speed from Mohanganj area when the driver suddenly took a sharp U-turn following which the tanker overturned on a tempo going towards Pratapgarh. While four persons died on the spot, five others lost their lives on the way to hospital.

Sources said that the inflammable gas started leaking from the tanker after the mishap so the district administration stopped traffic movement and sealed the area till the technical team reached and stopped the leakage.

In another mishap, two people, who had left for Mumbai from Jaunpur district, died after being hit by a train while crossing the railway line in Bhadohi on Monday.  Police sources said that Subhash Prasad Kharwar (49) and Vipin Kumar Gautam (25) had left the Mariyahu area of Jaunpur district to go to Mumbai. Both were crossing the railway line when they were hit by a speeding train and died on the spot.

Meanwhile, in a suspected case of lynching in Amethi, the body of a 36-year-old man was found tied to a tree in Bandha village on Monday, police said.

The victim was identified as Arvind (36) of Kotwa.

Additional Superintendent of Police Harendra Kumar said that prima facie, it appeared that Arvind was tied to a tree and then badly beaten up.

Six people have been detained for questioning and an FIR has been registered in this regard. The body was sent for autopsy.