KUSHINAGAR: At least six people were killed and two others seriously injured after an Omni van collided head-on with a trailer truck in Uttar Pradesh’s Kushinagar district late Sunday night.
The accident took place near Tharuadih Hanuman Temple in the Hata Kotwali area when the van, carrying eight people, was returning to Kaptanganj after attending a relative’s tilak ceremony in Hata.
The collision was so severe that the van was completely mangled, trapping all eight occupants inside. Rescue teams and police personnel had to use gas cutters to cut open the vehicle and pull out the trapped occupants.
According to police, six people died in the accident, while the two injured survivors were rushed to BRD Medical College in Gorakhpur for advanced medical treatment. The bodies were sent for post-mortem examination.
Among those killed were a village pradhan’s representative, his father and brother, along with a CRPF jawan who was reportedly on leave.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath took cognisance of the incident, expressed condolences to the bereaved families and directed officials to expedite relief operations and ensure proper treatment for the injured.
Meanwhile, Kushinagar police have initiated an investigation into the circumstances leading to the collision. Preliminary findings reportedly indicate that the van driver may have been under the influence of alcohol. Police are also pursuing further action against the trailer driver.
The incident has left several families devastated, with multiple members of the same family among the deceased.
