Uttar Pradesh: 17 killed, 5 injured in bus accident in Kanpur; PM Modi announces Rs 2 lakh ex-gratia to kin of deceased

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At least 16 people were killed and six injured in a road accident on the Kanpur-Allahabad highway in the Sachendi area of this Uttar Pradesh district late on Tuesday evening, the police told PTI. Two among the injured are said to be critical, they added.

Kanpur Outer’s Superintendent of Police (SP) Ashtbhuja Prasad Singh said the accident occurred in the Kisan Nagar area when a speeding bus hit a loader, which fell on the other side of the highway, while the bus also overturned and fell into a ditch.

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has announced an ex-gratia amount of Rs 2 lakh each to the next of kin of the deceased and ordered an inquiry into the incident.

The collision was so strong that almost all passengers of both the vehicles got trapped and some of them died on the spot, the SP said.

GSVM college principal RB Kamal told PTI over the phone that at least 16 people were killed, while five were admitted at the Lala Lajpat Rai (LLR) hospital with serious injuries.

The condition of two was said to be very critical, he said.

A heavy police force, comprising personnel from half-a-dozen police stations, was dispatched to the site of the accident.

The policemen extricated the passengers and found that many of them were already dead.

An official spokesperson in Lucknow told PTI that the chief minister has expressed grief over the loss of lives in the road accident in Kanpur and directed senior officials to immediately rush to the spot.

He has announced an ex-gratia amount of Rs 2 lakh each to the kin of the deceased, and asked the district administration to conduct an inquiry into the reasons behind the accident and submit a report, the spokesperson said.

The chief minister has also directed for extending immediate help and ensuring proper treatment to the injured persons.

Earlier, expressing condolences over the road accident in Uttar Pradesh’s Kanpur, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh each from the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund (PMNRF) for the next of kin of those who have lost their lives in the tragedy.

“The road accident in Kanpur is tragic. Many people have lost their lives in this accident. I express my condolences to their families, and wish the injured a speedy recovery,” said PM Modi, as quoted by the Prime Minister’s Office.

“PM Narendra Modi has announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh each from the PMNRF (Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund) for the next of kin of those who have lost their lives due to a tragic accident in Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh. Rs 50,000 would be provided to those injured,” the PMO tweeted.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah also condoled the deaths and wished the injured a speedy recovery. “I express my condolences to the families of those who lost their lives in the road accident in Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh. May God give them the strength to bear this grief. I wish the injured a speedy recovery,” Shah tweeted.

BJP national president Jagat Prakash Nadda also expressed condolences over the tragedy. “Saddened by the loss of lives due to the road accident in Kanpur district of Uttar Pradesh today. In this hour of grief, my thoughts are with the bereaved families. I pray for a quick recovery of those injured,” Nadda tweeted.