Nine killed, about 20 injured as U.P. bus collides with truck in M.P.’s Maihar

Both U.P. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and M.P. CM Mohan Yadav took to X to express grief over the incident

At least nine people died and about 20 were injured after a passenger bus from Uttar Pradesh collided with a stationary truck in Madhya Pradesh’s Maihar district late on Saturday night, police said.

According to the police, the incident took place on the national highway (NH) 30 at around 10.45 p.m. on Saturday when the sleeper bus, travelling from Prayagraj to Maharashtra’s Nagpur, crashed with a truck loaded with stones in Nadan Rural police station area. The truck was parked on the roadside at the time of the incident.

All nine deceased, including a four-year-old child, are male.

Maihar Superintendent of Police (SP) Sudhir Agrawal said, “The collision impact was severe as the bus was in high speed. The front part of the bus was heavily damaged.”

Mr. Agrawal said that a police team immediately reached the spot and a rescue operation was launched with the help of teams from National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) and a few NGOs.

Videos and local reports showed that the bus was crushed so badly that bulldozer and gas cutter had to be used to rescue the passengers. 

“People who were safe [in the bus] were rescued through the emergency door,” Mr. Agrawal said, adding that six people died on the spot while the injured were sent to hospitals in Maihar and Amarpatan towns. 

“A total of nine people were referred to the district hospital in [neighbouring district] Satna,” he said. 

Both U.P. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and M.P. CM Mohan Yadav took to X to express grief over the incident.

Mr. Yadav earlier said that 10 passengers lost their lives in the accident but later clarified that nine death were confirmed and that one person was in critical condition. 

“In this horrific road accident, 9 passengers have been confirmed dead while one is in a very critical condition. Most of the passengers are from Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra. I pray to Almighty God that all the injured get quick recovery,” he said in the second post.

“The district administration has been directed to provide proper treatment to the injured and the families of the deceased will be provided financial assistance by the government as per rules,” Mr. Yadav added.

Mr. Adityanath said, “The loss of life in a road accident in Maihar, Madhya Pradesh is extremely sad. My condolences are with the grieving families of the deceased. Instructions have been given to the officials to establish contact with the Madhya Pradesh administration and provide all possible assistance to the victims.”

Published - September 29, 2024 04:53 am IST