Eight passengers were killed and 29 others sustained injuries after a privately operated bus rammed into a moving truck on the Yamuna Expressway in Greater Noida on Friday morning.
The police said that the truck driver and the helper managed to flee after the incident but the truck has been impounded from the spot.
Deceased include minor
The incident was reported around 5.30 a.m. about three km from Jewar toll plaza towards Delhi on the expressway. The injured people were rushed to Kailash Hospital in Jewar by highway patrol team and the local police. Eight passengers, including a minor and two women, were declared dead on arrival at the hospital, the police said.
The deceased persons were identified as bus driver Mahesh Kumar (48), helper Bandu (25), Vineeta Devi (32), Arun Kumar (42), Asad (12), Suman Devi (35) Vishwa Nath Tiwari (75) and Anand (35). The driver hailed from Rajasthan, while all the other deceased belonged to Jalaun district in UP.
Talking about the injured persons, a police officer said: “Hanumant is on ventilator. Mangal and Ankit have sustained spine injuries. Sudhir and Randheer have sustained injuries on their back. Rest of the injured people are out of danger now.”
The police said that a survivor told them that the truck, bearing Rajasthan’s registration number, was being driven at a slow speed through the middle carriageway. The bus driver, who was speeding the vehicle, failed to apply the brakes on time, as a result of which the bus rammed into the truck. The bus was on its way to Delhi from Auraiya.
“The driver’s cabin and the first eight births were the most affected ones and got completely ripped due to the impact of the accident. A woman who was passing from the area in a car called the police and informed them about the accident,” said a police officer.
The officer also said that the case is under investigation and the exact cause of the accident is yet to be ascertained.
“An FIR under IPC Sections 304 A (causing death by negligence), 279 (rash driving or riding on a public way), 337 (causing hurt by act endangering life or personal safety of others) and 338 (causing grievous hurt by act endangering life or personal safety of others) has been registered at Rabupura police station. The owner of the truck has also been identified,” said S.K. Singh, Station House Officer at Rabupura police station.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath expressed condolences, while top officials of Gautam Buddh Nagar, including District Magistrate B.N. Singh and Police Chief Vaibhav Krishna rushed to meet the victims at the hospital. The Chief Medical Officer also rushed to the spot for medical assistance and coordinate with the hospital administration.