At least 18 people were killed in a major road accident near the Ram Sanehi Ghat police station area in Barabanki, Uttar Pradesh, after a double-decker bus was hit by a speeding truck on the Lucknow-Ayodhya national highway. Around 1:30 a.m. on the night between Tuesday and Wednesday. According to UP police officials familiar with the situation, as many as 19 passengers were gravely injured in the incident, and the injured passengers were rushed to the district hospital for emergency medical treatment.
Speaking to reporters at the hospital, Lucknow Zone ADG Satya Narayan Sabat confirmed that as many as 18 people have died in the “tragic mishap” that took place last night on the highway near Ram Sanehi Ghat in the Barabanki district. Several others still remain stuck under the bus, he said, adding that a rescue operation is currently underway. “Most of the passengers hailed from various districts in Bihar, including Sitamarhi and Saharsa,” the police official said. “They were returning to their native state from Punjab and Haryana, where they had put up for work.”
ADG Satya Narayan Sabat elaborated on the Barabanki accident, saying that several passengers exited the bus after the driver informed them that the axle shaft had broken down. A speeding truck arrived moments later and collided with the stationary bus from behind, killing many of the passengers who were resting along the highway and seriously injuring several others.
Two passengers were declared dead on arrival at the hospital, while one more succumbed to their injuries during treatment, the police official said. “An operation to retrieve bodies from underneath the bus is currently on,” he said, adding that at least 18 people have died so far, according to the latest updates. “Following this tragic mishap, the district administration and the police have launched a probe into the matter and ensuring that the wounded receive the best medical treatment that’s available,” the UP police official added.
