Seventeen people died and over two dozen were injured when a bus overturned after hitting a divider in Mainpuri on Wednesday.
The double-decker bus was coming from Jaipur in Rajasthan via the Agra Expressway and Karhal-Mainpuri when the driver allegedly lost control at a bend.
Mainpuri Superintendent of Police A.S. Rai said looking at the way the bus overturned, “it must have been travelling at a high speed”. The police are investigating the accident.
Mainpuri District Magistrate Pradeep Kumar said the driver was in a serious condition and unfit for statement. Mr. Kumar said it would be proved if the driver had handed over the controls to his assistant at the time of the accident or had himself fallen asleep while driving.
The accident took place near Gram Kallu ki Madaiya in Kiratpur area under Dhanahar police station of Mainpuri, which is more than 250 km from the State capital.
Sixteen died on the spot while 26 were injured, a police spokesperson said. Four seriously injured persons were referred to Saifai.
One of the dead is yet to be identified. The youngest victim was 15-year-old Nandan from Kannauj.
Ex-gratia compensation
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, expressing grief over the incident, announced an ex-gratia compensation of ₹2 lakh to the kin of the dead and ₹50,000 to the injured.
