FIROZABAD: Five people were killed and 24 injured when a tempo traveller rammed into a stationary canter on the Agra-Lucknow Expressway as its driver, who was in an inebriated state, was drowsy, police said on Saturday.
They said that the tempo traveller, which was going from Mathura to Lucknow, was carrying 30 passengers when the incident took place in the Nasirpur police station area on Friday night.
According to Superintendent of Police (SP) Rural Firozabad Akhilesh Bhadoria, the bus was enroute from Mathura to Lucknow when it collided with a parked vehicle near Thana Nasirpur on the Agra-Lucknow Expressway. Five people died and several others were injured in the incident."
Shortly after receiving the information, police reached the spot. SP Rural and CO Sirsaganj inspected the spot.
"The injured were immediately sent to the District Hospital. In the investigation, it was discovered that the bus had lost control due to the negligence of the driver," said the SP.
Sharing further details, the SP said, "Sandeep, a resident of Mohaddinpur in Lucknow, had gone to Mathura for his four-year-old son Siddharth's Mundan ceremony. There were about 20 people on the bus including his family and relatives. This tragic accident occurred while returning from Mathura."
"In the accident, Sandeep's wife Neetu (42), daughter Luvshikha (13), and Naitik (15) son Sajjan died on the spot. Two other people also died during treatment," said the official.
Those injured in the accident included Geeta (42), Hrithik (12), Karthik (9), Pranshu (13), Sanjivan (43), Sushil Kumar (30), Shashi Devi (44), her granddaughter Chamcham (4), Savitri Devi (41), her granddaughter Aarohi (1.5), Riya (16), Poonam (29), Phoolmati (40), Sarika (13) and Ruby (29), all are undergoing treatment.
The official said that there was chaos on the expressway after the accident.
"A few people who witnessed the incident immediately informed the police and helped the injured. The police have sent the bodies of the deceased for postmortem," said the official.
An investigation into the matter is underway. Further details on the matter are awaited.
Earlier on Wednesday, ten people including six women died and four got injured in a collision between an auto and a truck in Uttar Pradesh's Hardoi, said police.
Neeraj Kumar Jadaun, Superintendent of Police, Hardoi said, "10 people including 6 women died in a collision between an auto and a truck. 4 people got injured."
All the injured were hospitalised and said to be out of danger, said police.