BIDAR: Eight people from Bidar city were killed when the van they were travelling in collided with a truck in Bahraich district of Uttar Pradesh on Sunday morning. Seven of them, including the van driver, died on the spot, while one woman succumbed while being treated at a hospital.
Of the seven injured, the condition of one person is serious. The accident occurred on the Kheri-Nanpara Highway in Naunihal area situated between Lakhimpur Kheri and Motipur.
All the 16 people, who were from Bidar city, were on Chardham pilgrimage and on their way to Ayodhya when the accident occurred. They were to return on Sunday evening, sources from their families told The New Indian Express.
The deceased have been identified as Shivakumar Pujari (28), Jagadamba (52), Manmath (36), Anil (30), Santosh (38), Shashikala (38), Saraswati and Shivani (30). Bhumika (15) sustained serious injuries.
UP govt flying injured to Hyderabad
BIDAR Deputy Commissioner Govind Reddy said three members of families of the deceased are on their way to the accident spot to bring the bodies back. The Bahraich administration is making arrangements to send the mortal remains and they are likely to arrive in Bidar on Monday morning.
Those who have sustained injuries too will return on Monday morning, he added. Union Minister for Chemicals and Fertilisers Bhagawant Khuba, who is also Bidar MP, told TNIE that he spoke to officials concerned and instructed them to make all arrangements to help family members of the deceased.
The Uttar Pradesh government is flying the injured to Hyderabad and from there they will come to Bidar by road, he added. Bidar district in-charge minister Shankar Patil Munenkoppa said he instructed the Bidar DC to send a proposal on providing compensation to the kin of the deceased.
Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai mourned the deaths. KPCC working president Eshwar Khandre, who is Bhalki MLA, urged the government to pay suitable compensation to the families.