A devastating head-on collision occurred on Sunday in the Salempur area of Uttar Pradesh’s Bulandshahr, claiming the lives of 10 individuals and injuring 27 others. The accident took place on the Budaun-Meerut state highway, approximately 14 kilometers from the district headquarters. The victims, all employees of the Britaina company, were traveling back to their native village in Aligarh to celebrate the Hindu festival of Raksha Bandhan.
The collision involved a pickup van traveling from Ghaziabad and a private bus. The impact of the crash was severe, leaving the van mangled and the front of the bus heavily damaged. Videos circulating on social media depict the extent of the destruction.
District Magistrate Chandra Prakash Singh confirmed the death toll and stated that the injured were transported to various hospitals for treatment. Nine of the injured were admitted to a private hospital, with the condition of four considered serious and requiring further medical attention at the Meerut medical college. The remaining injured were taken to the district hospital.
The deceased were identified as Mukut Singh (45), Deen Nath (45), Brijesh (18), Babu Singh (19), Shishupal (27), Girraj Singh (26), Sugarpal (35), and Omkar (30). The identities of two victims remain unknown.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has acknowledged the tragedy and instructed officials to provide the best possible medical care to those injured in the accident. District Magistrate Singh also assured that the fitness documents of both vehicles were up-to-date.
In addition to the fatalities and injuries, the collision caused significant disruption to traffic flow on the highway. The incident has highlighted the importance of road safety measures and the need for strict enforcement of traffic regulations to prevent similar tragedies from occurring.
The incident follows a separate road accident on Saturday near Begarajpur, where an unidentified vehicle struck three pedestrians, resulting in two deaths and one injury. The victims, Gopal, Jagroop, and Tushar, were walking along the road when the vehicle hit them. This incident underscores the continued danger posed by reckless driving and the need for heightened awareness and responsibility on the roads.
