Bus Accident at Purvanchal Expressway
Lucknow: Over 60 passengers were injured after a speeding luxury bus overturned on the Purvanchal Expressway in Uttar Pradesh’s Sultanpur district early Tuesday morning, triggering a major rescue operation.
The bus, travelling from Ludhiana to Azamgarh, overturned around 6 am near milestone 108 under Dhanpatganj police station limits. The driver allegedly fled the scene immediately after the crash, leaving behind dozens of injured passengers.
According to initial reports, the private bus was carrying more than 100 passengers, far exceeding its capacity. Many of those on board were migrant workers and families returning home.
Survivors alleged that the journey had been unsafe from the start due to overcrowding and rash driving. Some passengers, including Saniya, Lal Bahadur, Ompal, and Ramsurat, claimed that the designated driver was not behind the wheel at the time of the accident. Instead, they alleged, a helper (khalasi) was driving while the driver rested.
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Local residents and passersby were the first to reach the accident site and began rescue operations using basic tools. Several injured passengers were pulled out from the overturned vehicle before emergency services arrived.
Medical teams from the Dhanpatganj Community Health Centre reached the spot soon after being alerted. Many passengers with minor injuries were treated on-site.
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Officials said at least 34 injured were referred to Kurebhar hospital for further treatment. Among them, 12 passengers were reported to be in critical condition and were later shifted to the district hospital and subsequently to a medical college for advanced care.
Authorities are expected to investigate allegations of reckless driving, overloading, and the claim that an untrained helper was operating the bus at the time of the accident.
