In a tragic accident on the Lucknow-Ayodhya highway, 19 labourers heading home to Bihar were killed and 24 others were critically injured when the bus they were travelling in was hit from behind by a heavy duty cargo truck in Ram Sanehi Ghat area of Barabanki late on Tuesday night.
The double-decker bus carrying nearly 120 labourers working in Palwal in Haryana and some places of Punjab and was headed to Bihar on Tuesday evening, when an axle of the front wheel broke down on Kalyani bridge near Barabanki-Ayodhya border around 7 pm.
Later on, the driver parked the vehicle near a roadside dhaba and went out looking for a mechanic and spares. With night approaching, some of the passengers went out of the stranded bus and slept under it or by its side. Around midnight, a speeding trawler coming from Lucknow rammed into the stationary bus from behind, causing grievous injuries to the passengers inside the bus and also to those sleeping under the bus and by its side.
After the accident, the trawler driver managed to flee the scene but due to the collision both vehicles were mangled and caused a massive traffic snarl on the busy highway.
On being informed, police personnel from Ram Sanehi Ghat and neighbouring police stations converged on the accident site and started rescue operations. While several victims died on the spot, a large number of passengers had to be extricated from the mangled bus and taken to Ram Sanehi Ghat community health centre and Barabanki district hospital.
Superintendent of Police of Barabanki, Yamuna Prasad, confirmed 18 deaths in the tragedy while another died while being treated in a hospital.
The deceased were residents of Sitamarhi, Supaul, Shivhar, Saharsa districts of Bihar. The deceased who could be identified were Suresh Yadav (35) of Madhepura, Indal Mahto (25) of Sitamarhi, Sikandar Mukhiya (40) of Saharsa, Monu Sahani (30) of Sitamarhi, Jagdish Sahani (40) of Sitamarhi, Jai Bahadur Sahani (40) of Sheohar, Baijnath Ram (55) of Supaul, Balram Mandal (55) of Supaul, Santosh Singh (30) of Araria, Bouwa (24) of Araria, Raja (37 ) of Sitamarhi and Akhikesh Mukhiya (30) of Saharsa.
Efforts were underway to ascertain the identities of seven other deceased.
President Ram Nath Kovind, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Governor Anandiben Patel, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and leaders of major opposition parties expressed grief over the death of the passengers in the accident. The prime minister also spoke to the chief minister to get details of the incident and rescue and relief operations.
Yogi also expressed his condolences and directed the district magistrate and district police chief of Barabanki to provide the best medical care to the injured and arrange for the transport of the passengers to their destinations. An ex gratia of Rs 2 lakh each was announced for the families of the deceased and Rs 50,000 to the injured.
The Barabanki district administration has issued a helpline number (9454417464) where the affected family members can get information.