8 killed, over 30 injured in bus-car crash in India’s Uttar Pradesh

Publish: 7:50 PM, October 17, 2020 | Update: 7:50 PM, October 17, 2020

NEW DELHI, – At least eight people were killed and over 30 others injured Saturday after a passenger bus overturned after skidding off the road and collided with a car in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, police said.

The accident took place at village Baari Bujhia of Pilibhit district, about 260 km north of Lucknow, the capital city of Uttar Pradesh.

“Early this morning, a bus belonging to Uttar Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (UPSRTC) overturned and collided with a car, killing eight people and injuring over 30 others,” a police official said.

“The injured were immediately removed to the nearest hospital, from where some of the critically injured were referred to district hospital.” According to officials, the ill-fated bus carrying passengers was coming from Lucknow on its way to Delhi.

The cause of the accident was not immediately known. Police have registered a case to ascertain the reason behind the accident. Meanwhile, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has mourned the deaths and expressed his condolences with the bereaved families.

Deadly road accidents are common in India often due to overloading, bad condition of roads and reckless driving. On an average, over 400 deaths used to take place every day in India due to road accidents. However, the number sharply came down following the outbreak of COVID-19 and the subsequent announcement of a nationwide lockdown in India that saw public transport off the roads. With the government announcing restriction relaxations, the movement of vehicular traffic has resumed.