8 dead, 43 injured as truck hits tractor-trolley carrying pilgrims in UP's Bulandshahr

Eight people were killed and 43 injured when a truck rammed into a tractor-trolley carrying pilgrims in Uttar Pradesh's Bulandshahr district in the early hours of Monday, police said.

Two of the deceased were children while 12 of those injured and hospitalised are below the age of 18, police said.

The accident took place around 2.10 am on the Bulandshahr-Aligarh border near the Arnia bypass, when the canter truck hit the tractor-trolley from behind, causing it to overturn, Senior Superintendent of Police (Rural) Dinesh Singh said.

"The tractor-trolley was carrying 61 people, who were travelling from Rafatpur village in Kasganj district to Jaharpeer in Rajasthan for a pilgrimage," Singh said.

He said the victims were rushed to hospitals, including a private facility.

"Eight people died while 43 of them are undergoing treatment. Three of the injured are on ventilator support," Singh added.

Police said 10 passengers escaped with minor injuries. The victims were taken to multiple hospitals: 10 to Aligarh Medical College, 10 to Bulandshahr district hospital and 23 to Kailash Hospital in Khurja.

The bodies of the deceased have been sent for post-mortem, police said.

The deceased have been identified as tractor driver EU Babu (40), Rambeti (65), Chandni (12), Ghaniram (40), Mokshi (40), Shivansh (6), Yogesh (50) and Vinod (45), all residents of Kasganj district, according to the police.

District Magistrate Shruti along with SSP Singh and other senior officials visited the incident spot amid drizzle and later interacted with the injured patients in a hospital.

Police said the erring truck, which is registered in Haryana, has been impounded and legal proceedings have been initiated.