As many as eight people were killed and nearly 20 others injured when a Delhi-bound double-decker bus rammed into a stationary double-decker bus on Purvanchal Expressway in Barabanki on Monday morning.
The injured were admitted to the Haidergarh Community Health Centre. As per reports, the condition of three of the injured was critical and they were referred to the KGMU Trauma Centre in Lucknow.
The accident occurred near Narendrapur Madraha village of Loniktra police station in Barabanki. Both the buses were going to Delhi from Bihar.
Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP), Barabanki, Manoj Pandey said the bus coming from Sitamarhi in Bihar hit the stationary one from behind. Four of the deceased were identified as Om Prakash Rai (33) of Samastipur, Shivdhari (42) of Madhubani, Chitnarayan (75) of Madhubani and Kamlesh Kumar (23) of Sitamarhi in Bihar. Efforts were on to ascertain the identity of the remaining two deceased, including a child, the ASP said, adding the injured were admitted to a local hospital from where the critically injured were referred to the KGMU Trauma Centre in Lucknow.
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath took to Twitter and expressed grief over the loss of lives in the mishap. He directed the officials concerned to ensure proper treatment of the injured. “The loss of lives in a road accident on Purvanchal Expressway is extremely sad. Instructions have been given to the officers concerned to conduct relief and rescue operations expeditiously and provide proper treatment to the injured. May Lord Shri Ram provide peace to the departed souls and speedy recovery to the injured,” the CM tweeted.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi also extended condolences to the families of the deceased. “The accident on Purvanchal Expressway in Barabanki is extremely sad. I express my condolences to those who have lost their loved ones. Along with this, I wish for the speedy recovery of all the injured. Under the supervision of the state government, the local administration is engaged in all possible help,” the PM tweeted.
Barabanki SP Anurag Vats said, “Eight people have died while 16 have been injured in the Purvanchal Expressway accident. The severely injured have been sent to the KGMU Trauma Centre and those with minor injuries are being treated at the local CHC.”
The SP said that the bodies were sent for autopsy and further investigation was underway.
Meanwhile, Yogi also expressed deep grief over the untimely death of people due to lightning strike in Banda district recently. Expressing concern over such incidents, the chief minister wrote on Twitter, “Deeply grieved and saddened by the loss of lives in Banda due to lightning. Immediate relief will be provided to the families that have suffered the loss while proper medical treatment to those injured.”
The chief minister announced immediate financial assistance of Rs 4 lakh each to the families of the people who lost their lives in the unfortunate incident.