BULANDSHAHR: Nine people were killed and 42 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.
Two of the deceased were minors, while 12 of those injured and hospitalised are below the age of 18.
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath condoled the demise of the pilgrims and directed officials to ensure the best treatment for those injured.
He also announced an ex gratia of Rs 2 lakh to the kin of those dead and Rs 50,000 each for the injured.
The accident took place around 2.10 am on the Bulandshahr-Aligarh border near the Arnia bypass, when the canter truck hit the tractor-trolley from behind, causing it to overturn, Senior Superintendent of Police (Rural) Dinesh Kumar Singh said.
The devotees had reportedly pooled money to make the journey, and the accident occurred after they had covered nearly 100 kilometres.
"The tractor-trolley was carrying 61 people, who were travelling from the Rafatpur village in the Kasganj district to Jaharpeer in Rajasthan for a pilgrimage," he said.
The police officer said the victims were rushed to hospitals.
"Eight people died, while 43 of them are undergoing treatment. Three of the injured are on ventilator support," Singh added.
Later, another man, identified as Lekhraj (40), succumbed to injuries during treatment at a hospital, taking the toll in the incident to nine, police said.
They said 10 passengers escaped with minor injuries.
The victims were taken to multiple hospitals for treatment -- 10 to Aligarh Medical College, as many to Bulandshahr district hospital and 23 to Kailash Hospital in Khurja.
The bodies of the deceased have been sent for post-mortem, police said.
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 residents of Kasganj district, and Lekhraj (40), according to the police.
District Magistrate Shruti and SSP Dinesh Kumar Singh rushed to the site soon after the accident was reported. The SSP said 10 of the injured were admitted to Bulandshahr District Hospital, 23 to Khurja Hospital, and the remaining 10 referred to Aligarh Medical College. The driver of the container, which was filled with rice husk, fled the spot. The tractor was later removed from the highway and traffic resumed.
According to a post on X by the chief minister's office, Adityanath has expressed condolences to the bereaved families of the deceased.
"The chief minister has directed the district administration officials to immediately transport the injured to the hospital and ensure their proper treatment.
He has wished for the speedy recovery of the injured," it added.
Police said the erring truck, which is registered in Haryana, has been impounded, and further legal proceedings have been initiated.
By afternoon, 18 of the injured persons were discharged after primary treatment at hospitals, the police said.
According to police officials, the trolley of the tractor had been modified into two decks to accommodate the large number of passengers.
The use of a tractor-trolley to ferry passengers is officially banned in Uttar Pradesh.
In February 2024, 23 pilgrims died when a tractor-trolley carrying them overturned into a water body in Kasganj district of the state.
(With inputs from Namita Bajpai)