As many as 18 people died after a private bus rammed into a milk container on the Agra-Lucknow Expressway in Uttar Pradesh's Unnao district on Wednesday morning.
Police said the mishap happened near Jojikot village in the Bangarmau area. Over 19 people have been injured in the accident and they have been admitted to a nearby hospital. Their condition is stated to be stable. Fourteen men, three women and a child were among those killed.
The double-decker bus was coming to UP from Motihari in Bihar when the mishap happened. According to Unnano district magistrate Gaurang Rathi, the accident happened around 5.15 am. "The private bus coming from Bihar collided with a milk tanker. The initial investigation is on and it looks like the bus was overspeeding. The injured are getting treatment," Rathi added.
Bangarmau Circle Officer (CO) Arvind Kumar said due to the impact of the collision, both the bus and milk tanker overturned. Drivers of the two vehicles were among the dead.
Uttar Pradesh deputy chief minister Brajesh Pathak said the injured have been sent to Unnao district hospital. "Injured are being shifted to higher-level hospitals. All hospitals nearer to Unnao are being put on alert," Pathak said. He added that most of the injured people were from Bihar and the Uttar Pradesh government is in touch with the Bihar government. Pathak said the reasons for the accident will come out only after investigation.
Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath took cognizance of the accident and expressed condolences to the bereaved families of the deceased. The chief minister also directed the officials to reach the spot immediately and expedite the relief work.