At least eight people died and over 40 others were injured when a truck rammed into a tractor-trolley carrying pilgrims in Uttar Pradesh's Bulandshahr district in the early hours of Monday, police said.
The accident occurred around 2:15 am on National Highway 34, near the Arnia police station area, on the Aligarh border. Officials said the victims included women and children, with ten passengers requiring hospitalisation. The truck involved has been impounded as investigations continue.
Bulandshahr Senior Superintendent of Police Dinesh Kumar Singh said the tractor-trolley was carrying around 60 to 61 people from Kasganj district to Rajasthan when it was struck at high speed from behind by the container. The impact caused the tractor to overturn, leaving a large number of passengers trapped and injured.
“An unfortunate incident has happened on NH 34, around 2:15 tonight. Around 60-61 people were travelling in a tractor from Kasganj district to Rajasthan. A container coming from behind hit it at a high speed due to which the tractor overturned and a large number of people were injured. Eight people have died. Forty-five people are currently undergoing treatment, with the condition of all except three being reported as fine. Those three are on a ventilator right now. The tractor has been removed from the spot. The truck that caused the accident is in police custody,” Singh said.
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Police confirmed that ten passengers escaped with minor injuries, while the rest were rushed to hospitals in Bulandshahr, Aligarh and Khurja for treatment. Ten injured were admitted to Aligarh Medical College, ten to Bulandshahr district hospital and 23 to Kailash Hospital in Khurja.
The deceased have been identified as tractor driver E U Babu, 40, Rambeti, 65, Chandni, 12, Ghaniram, 40, Mokshi, 40, Shivansh, 6, Yogesh, 50, and Vinod, 45. All were residents of Kasganj district, police said.
Among the 43 injured, 12 are children, officials added. The bodies of the deceased have been sent for post-mortem examinations.
District Magistrate Shruti, accompanied by SSP Singh and other senior officials, visited the crash site amid drizzle and later met with injured patients at a hospital.
Police said the erring container truck, which is registered in Haryana, has been seized and legal proceedings have been initiated.
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