Hathras (UP), Sep 7 (PTI): The death toll in the bus accident that occurred here yesterday has reached 17 after two children succumbed during treatment, officials said on Saturday.
Sixteen people – 11 in Hathras and 5 in Aligarh — are still undergoing treatment, District Magistrate of Hathras Ashish Kumar told PTI.
Appi (2) and around 12-year-old Gulshan died during treatment at a hospital in Aligarh, the officials said.
Fifteen people, including four women and as many children travelling in a van, were killed on Friday after a roadways bus hit the vehicle from behind on National Highway 93, officials had said.
“The bus hit the van while trying to overtake it on the Agra-Aligarh national highway,” Superintendent of Police (SP) Nipun Agarwal had said.
The accident occurred near Kanwarpur village, about 10 kilometres from the district headquarters.
The passengers were on their way to Agra from Hathras.
Agarwal also said that a case has been registered in this matter, and arrests will be made as soon as possible.
Salam Mohammad, a relative of some of the deceased persons said that the accident took place when some of his family members were returning to their home in Agra after attending a ‘chaalisvaa’ (a mourning ritual) in Sasni area.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath directed district officials to reach the spot and take care of the relief measures on Friday.
He also gave instructions to provide a financial assistance of Rs 2 lakh each to the kin of the deceased and Rs 50,000 each to those seriously injured.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi condoled the deaths in the accident and wished a speedy recovery to the injured. The local administration is providing all possible help to the victims under the supervision of the state government, he said on X.
Modi announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh each for the kin of the deceased and Rs 50,000 for those injured.
President Droupadi Murmu condoled the loss of lives in the accident and prayed for a speedy recovery of the injured.
“The news of the deaths of several people in a road accident in Hathras district of Uttar Pradesh is extremely sad. I express my deepest condolences to the bereaved families who lost their loved ones and pray for a speedy recovery of those injured,” Murmu said in a post in Hindi on X.
