At least 24 people have died of burns in a collision between a bus and a truck after which the bus caught fire near Invertis University at Rajau Paraspur in Bareilly early on Monday morning.
The bus became a ball of fire after the truck hit its diesel tank in the middle at a turn. The fiery flames engulfed the passengers in no time.
The fire brigade and police had a tough time rescuing passengers. Eighteen charred bodies were recovered from the accident site while four more passengers succumbed to their burns in the hospital, confirmed Bareilly SSP Jogendra Kumar.
The accident that took place on National Highway 24 in the wee hours of Monday involved a Gonda-bound Uttar Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (UPSRTC) bus carrying 41 passengers believed to be residents of Gonda.
According to the SSP, none of the bodies have been identified so far. The police would lodge an FIR into the accident on behalf of the UPSRTC, said the SSP.
He said 14 surviving passengers, mostly with burns, were under treatment at the Siddhi Vinayak Hospital at Bareilly.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has expressed grief at the death of passengers. He has also announced Rs 2 lakh as compensation for the next of kin of the dead, Rs 50,000 for the seriously injured and Rs 25,000 for those having minor injuries.
