Eight school children among 10 killed in Hapur crash in UP

“All the occupants of the pick-up truck had come to attend a wedding. There were 10 casualties, while several people have been injured. Prima-facie, it appears that it was a Canter with which the pick-up truck met with an accident. There were almost 30 people in the pick-up. The driver of the truck has fled and we are searching the vehicle,” said Sarvesh Kumar Mishra, SSP Hapur.

According to the police, the accident took place at around midnight near Sadikpur village which comes under Hafizpur police station.

Eyewitnesses said the impact of the collision was such that children in the van were flung on to the road. “We heard a loud crash and rushed out on to the road. We saw bodies lying everywhere. The bodies were lying as far as 50 metres from the spot. There was a lot of blood as well. The driver of the vehicle in which the pick-up collided could not be seen anywhere”, said Ankit Sirohi, an eyewitness.

The children were all aged between 8 and 13 while one of the two men who died was 20 years old. An FIR under sections 279 (rash driving) and 304 A (death by negligence) of the IPC has been filed against the absconding driver.

“We had gone for a wedding and were leaving for Salepur after eating dinner. All I remember is a collision. The entire car broke because of the impact. From my family, it was me and two children from my paternal side. A lot of people died,” said Muhammad Zaid, one of the passengers.

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath expressed grief and directed the administration to provide assistance to the families of the injured. The medical expenses are being borne by the Hapur administration while some of the critically injured have been referred to a hospital in Meerut.