At least 17 dead as Farrukhabad-bound bus overturns in Mainpuri

At least 17 people, including a woman, died and 25 others were injured when the private bus they were travelling on hit a road divider and overturned in Mainpuri district of Uttar Pradesh on Wednesday morning.

The bus, carrying 60-70 persons, was coming from Jaipur in Rajasthan and heading towards Farrukhabad. The accident happened near Tirathpur village around 5:30 AM, said Mainpuri Superintendent of Police Ajay Shankar Rai.

Sixteen people, including a woman, died on the spot while another person succumbed to his injuries in Saifai hospital, said Rai. Their identity was being ascertained.

Mostly labourers, returning to their native villages in Uttar Pradesh from Rajasthan, were travelling on the bus.

Some of the injured, including the bus driver who has lost his left leg, were stated to be critical and undergoing treatment. Others, Rai said, were admitted to the district hospital.

Senior administrative officials have reached the site of the accident and were overseeing relief and rescue operations.

Additional Superintendent of Police Om Prakash Singh said three of the injured have been referred to an Agra hospital. "The registration plate of the bus reveals it is from Farrukhabad (UP-76). It was coming from Jaipur," Singh said.

He said the number of casualties include those who were were sleeping on the roof of the bus. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has announced an ex-gratia of ₹2 lakh each to the family of the deceased and ₹50,000 to those seriously injured in the accident.

Soon after the news of this accident spread, the condolence messages started pouring in on social media. Right from the prime minister to the president and other senior leaders conveyed their condolence on Twitter:

(With PTI inputs)