Bus carrying devotees overturns in UP’s Sitapur; 2 dead, several injured

At least two people were killed and several others injured in a bus accident on a roadside ditch in Uttar Pradesh's Sitapur district on Thursday.

Two people were killed and several others injured after a private bus carrying devotees from Andhra Pradesh hit a motorcycle, overturned and fell into a roadside ditch, police said on Friday.

The accident occurred on the Misrikh-Sidhauli road in Sandana area on Thursday when the bus, carrying around 40 devotees, was returning to Lucknow after the pilgrims offered prayers at Naimisharanya and Mishrikh in Sitapur district, officials said.

According to police, the speeding bus rammed into a motorcycle, causing the driver to lose control of the vehicle, which then overturned and fell into a deep roadside ditch.

The motorcyclist died on the spot while his wife sustained critical injuries, police said.

One passenger travelling in the bus also succumbed to injuries in the accident. The deceased were identified as Prakash Kumar (50) and tour organiser Shiv Kumar (40), officials said.

Considering the seriousness of the incident, District Magistrate Dr Rajaganapati R and Superintendent of Police Ankur Agarwal immediately reached the accident site to oversee rescue and relief operations.

All injured passengers were rushed by ambulance to the Community Health Centre (CHC) in Machhrehta, while three seriously injured persons were referred to the district hospital in Sitapur for treatment, officials said.

''One critically injured patient has been referred to the Trauma Centre in Lucknow for better treatment,'' a police official said.

After inspecting the accident site, the district magistrate also visited CHC Machhrehta and the district hospital, where he enquired about the condition of the injured and directed hospital authorities to ensure proper treatment on priority basis.

He also instructed officials to provide all necessary medicines and medical facilities free of cost to the injured persons, officials added.