Lakhimpur Kheri: Ten people were killed and several others injured in a head-on collision between a truck and a van on the Lakhimpur‑Bahraich Highway near Barheta village in Uttar Pradesh’s Lakhimpur Kheri on Monday, police said.
The van was on its way to Sisaiya from Lakhimpur when the accident took place between Unchgaon and Bharehta villages.
Circle Officer Shamsher Bahadur Singh of Dhaurahra said the van’s driver and all nine passengers were killed.
District Magistrate of Lakhimpur Kheri Anjani Kumar Singh told reporters that the van collided with a truck coming from the opposite direction, leading to nine casualties on the spot, while one succumbed to injuries at the district hospital.
Circle Officer of Dhaurahra, Shamsher Bahadur Singh, told PTI that efforts are underway to identify the remaining victims. Seven of the dead have been identified as Jaideep Singh (25), Pawan (23), Sohan (21), Ram Goyal (42)
, Sahajram (35), Pappu (18) — all from Bahraich district — and Adnan Khan (15) of Lakhimpur Kheri.
Rescue teams and local police reached the spot soon after the crash and rushed the injured to a nearby hospital for treatment, while the bodies of the deceased have been sent for post-mortem examination, police said.
Traffic on the highway was temporarily diverted as emergency services cleared the wreckage and authorities began an on-site probe.
Further investigation into the accident is ongoing.
PM Announces Relief
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed deep grief over the loss and announced an ex‑gratia of Rs 2 lakh each for the next of kin of the deceased and Rs 50,000 for the injured.
In a post on X, the Prime Minister’s Office stated, “Deeply pained to hear about a mishap in Lakhimpur Kheri, Uttar Pradesh. My condolences to those who have lost their loved ones. May the injured recover at the earliest. An ex-gratia of Rs. 2 lakh from PMNRF would be given to the next of kin of each deceased. The injured would be given Rs. 50,000.”
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath also condoled the accident, terming the incident “heartbreaking and soul-wrenching,” and said instructions have been issued to the local administration to provide prompt and adequate assistance to the injured.