As many as 8 persons were killed, 45 other left injured after a container hit a tractor full of devotees on National Highway 34 in Bulandshahr. The incident occurred near Ghatal Village when devotees of Gogaji were going to Rajasthan’s Gogamedi from UP’s Kasganj. The victims included 12 children.
Police teams, including the District Magistrate and SSP, were rushed to the accident site soon after the information. The injured have been admitted to Aligarh Medical College, Bulandshahr district hospital and Kailash Hospital. The condition of three persons is critical and they are on ventilator support.
As soon as the incident was reported, the Arnia police and nearby police station forces immediately reached the spot and found that the tractor-trolley had been converted into a double-decker to accommodate more people.
Vehicle involved in accident impounded
The container involved in the accident has also been confiscated by the police.
"An unfortunate incident has happened on NH 34, on the Aligarh border, 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... 8 people have died. 45 people are currently undergoing treatment, with the condition of all except 3 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," Bulandshahr SSP Dinesh Kumar Singh said while talking with ANI.
Bodies of deceased for autopsy
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, according to the police.
The bodies of the deceased were taken into custody for post-mortem examination.
CM Yogi announces ex-gratia
UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath expressed anguish over the incident and announced compensation for the next of the kin of the victims.
An ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh will be provided to the next of kin of the persons deceased in the accident. Besides, financial assistance of Rs 50,000 will be provided to the persons who are seriously injured.
