Lucknow: Five people were killed and at least 45 others injured after a double-decker bus overturned on the Purvanchal Expressway in Lucknow on Monday, triggering chaos and a massive rescue operation.
According to officials, 28 injured passengers were referred to the Apex Trauma Center at Sanjay Gandhi Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences (SGPGI). The injured include seven children, 12 men and nine women. The remaining injured were admitted to nearby hospitals for treatment.
The deceased have been identified as Birendra (30), Anjali (8), Priyanshu (15), a six-year-old child and a 30-year-old man. Authorities said the toll may rise as several injured passengers are in critical condition.
The bus was travelling from Ludhiana in Punjab to Motihari in Bihar when the accident occurred. Eyewitnesses said the vehicle was moving at a speed of over 80 kmph. Soon after the incident, the driver and cleaner allegedly fled the spot, leaving passengers trapped inside the overturned bus.
A video that surfaced shortly after the crash shows the bus being lifted upright with the help of a crane. As the vehicle was straightened, bodies reportedly fell onto the road from its windows, and blood was seen spread across the accident site. Even after the bus was set upright, some injured and deceased passengers were seen hanging from the windows, while survivors cried for help.
Some passengers alleged that the driver had consumed alcohol at a roadside dhaba about half an hour before the accident. Others claimed that the driver may have dozed off at the wheel.
An eyewitness, Ansh Patel, told Dainik Bhaskar that the bus was approaching Lucknow and was swaying “like a snake” before it suddenly overturned. “There was chaos and screaming. We rushed to the spot to help,” he said.
Police reached the scene soon after receiving information and launched rescue operations. The bus was later towed to a nearby toll plaza with the help of a crane. Doctors at Lok Bandhu Hospital in Lucknow were called in to handle the emergency.
A case has been registered against the bus driver, identified as Sompal, a resident of Naultha in Panipat district of Haryana. Police said efforts are underway to trace and arrest him.
The accident site witnessed large crowds as locals gathered to assist in rescue efforts. Authorities said sanitation workers were deployed to clear the road, which was stained with blood following the tragic incident. Further investigation is underway to ascertain the exact cause of the crash.
