KANPUR: At least 16 people were killed and four others critically injured when a Ahmedabad-bound private doubledecker bus collided head-on with a tempo on an elevated stretch of national highway-19 in Sachendi police limits of Kanpur late Tuesday.
The impact of the collision was such that the bus toppled over sideways and the tempo smashed through the side railing, plunged 7 feet below and lay in a manged heap in a ditch.
All 16 deceased were travelling in the tempo, which was cramped with 20 labourers bound for a biscuit factory at Ratan Kheda Kisan Nagar.
PM Narendra Modi, Union home minister Amit Shah and chief minister Yogi Adityanath expressed condolences to bereaved families and announced compensation.
While the PM announced ex gratia of Rs 2 lakh to kin of the deceased and Rs 50,000 to the injured, the chief minister too declared a similar compensation to tragedyhit families and directed officials to ensure swift medical aid to the injured.
Senior police and administration officials, including IG range Mohit Agarwal rushed to the spot and rescue operations continued till midnight.
While 10 people died on the spot, six succumbed to injuries on way to Lala Lajpat Rai hospital.
Those being treated are critical, said doctors.
The accident site was littered with belongings of the dead even as rescued workers carried bodies to the morgue for autopsy.
“While the bus from Lucknow and was bound for Ahmedabad, tempo carrying 19 labourers was heading towards the nearby biscuit factory.
We are trying to contact families of the deceased.
A high-level probe has been ordered into the cause of accident,” said IG (range) Mohit Agarwal told TOI.