24 burnt alive as bus catches fire after collision in Uttar Pradesh's Bareilly; PM Narendra Modi announces ex gratia

The Uttar Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation bus was en route to eastern Uttar Pradesh's Gonda district from New Delhi.

Bareilly: In a frightful accident, at least 24 people were killed and 14 others injured when a passenger bus collided with a truck and caught fire on National Highway 24 in Bareilly early Monday.

The bus of the Uttar Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (UPSRTC) carrying 41 passengers from Delhi was on its way to Gonda in eastern Uttar Pradesh when the accident took place near Bada bypass at around 1:00 am.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi condoled the loss of lives and sanctioned Rs 2 lakh each to the kin of those killed.He also announced Rs 50,000 for each of those injured. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath also expressed deep condolence over the loss of lives and announced financial assistance of Rs 2 lakh each to the kin of the deceased, Rs 50,000 to the seriously injured and Rs 25,000 for those who got minor injuries.

The bodies were so badly charred that doctors found it difficult to determine the gender of the victims. DNA tests would be conducted to identify the victims.

"The death toll has risen to 24. Besides, 14 others are suffering from serious burn injuries," senior UP minister Rajesh Agarwal told reporters here.

Agarwal, who belongs to Bareilly, however, said the compensation would be paid only after after the identity of the deceased was established.

He also instructed the officials to ensure adequate medical treatment for the injured persons. 

Initially the number of those injured was placed at 15, but the name of one more passenger was added to the list taking the number to 16, of whom two died during treatment.

Three passengers escaped with minor injuries.

"Around 5.45 am, we received 22 bodies from the bus accident site. The bodies are charred beyond recognition. It is difficult to even determine the gender of the people," said Dr Shailesh Ranjan of the Bareilly district hospital.

The number of male and female passengers who died in the accident would be clear only after the post-mortem, Chief Medical Officer, Bareilly, Dr Vijay Yadav, said.

Agarwal, who flew in here from Lucknow in a helicopter on instructions of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath to supervise relief operations, said, "A DNA test will be performed on all bodies."

Agarwal was accompanied by two of his ministerial colleagues Swatantradev Singh and Brijesh Pathak.

The bus collided head on with a speeding truck coming from the direction of Lucknow near the inverted University turn.

An explosion followed and fire broke out in the bus. 

The driver of the bus is also among the deceased, while the conductor sustained serious injuries.

The driver of the truck, which was coming from Shahjehanpur, is absconding. The police were looking for him.

Police said the impact of the head-on collision was so big that the diesel tank was completely damaged.

They added the death toll could rise as most of the passengers were severely burnt.

Fire tenders were rushed to the accident site.

Senior police officers including Inspector General of Police SK Bhagat, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Jogendra Kumar and other officials are monitoring the rescue and relief operations.

"The truck and the bus both caught fire after the collision. Fire engines reached as soon as possible but the flames were so high that it took us a lot of effort to actually douse the flames and reach inside", said Bhagat.

As per SSP Jogendra Kumar, “The accident involving a bus of the Uttar Pradesh State Transport Corporation and a truck took place between 1.00 am and 1.30 am.”

"22 passengers of the bus died, while 15 sustained injuries. Six passengers are critically injured and have been hospitalised," he said.

Some injured were rushed to nearby medical facilities.

The traffic has been diverted.

Reports said that the emergency exit door of the bus had jammed following the collision, trapping the passengers inside the vehicle in flames.

(With Agency inputs)