Uttar Pradesh: 11 killed, more than 40 injured as truck falls into gorge in Etawah

ETAWAH: Eleven people were on Saturday killed and more than 40 injured when a DCM truck in which they were travelling fell into a 25 ft deep ditch at Chakkarnagar road near Udi crossing under the limits of Badhpura police station in Etawah district.
The area where the mishap took place, dots mostly ravines with deep ditches along the roadside.
Expressing his deep condolences, chief minister Yogi Adityanath announced ex gratia of Rs 2 lakh each for the families of the deceased and directed district authorities to provide proper medical aid to the injured.
"My condolences to the families of those who lost their lives in a tragic accident. I hope those who are injured recover at the earliest," said chief minister Yogi Adityanath.
Etawah SSP Brijesh Kumar Singh and his subordinates, besides locals of the area were among the first to reach the mishap site and a major rescue operation was launched.
The injured were pulled out with the help of long ropes and admitted to the district hospital in Etawah and Saifai Medical University.
The tragedy occurred when the family, relatives and friends of Pinahat Agra resident -Virendra Singh Baghel, were on their way from Agra to hoist a religious flag at Lakhna Devi temple in Etawah for his child's 'mundan' ceremony.
SSP Etawah Brijesh Kumar Singh said that the DCM vehicle, which was carrying nearly 52 people, had left Pinahat in the late afternoon hours, and heading towards Lakhna Devi temple in Etawah, when it skidded off the road and rolled down into the deep ditch near Udi crossing on Chakarnagar road this evening.
In the mishap, eleven people were killed and 40 others injured, he said and added, "Injured persons have been admitted to district hospital and Saifai Medical university."
Speaking to TOI SSP further said that rescue operation had been launched in the area with the help of locals and Fire department personnel.
He said the incident took place probably when the driver of the truck apparently lost control over the vehicle and it skidded off the road and fell into a 25 ft deep roadside ditch. "Further investigations are underway to ascertain the actual cause that led to the mishap," SSP added.