Death toll in Hathras bus accident rises to 17 as two kids succumb to injuries

HATHRAS: Two more children died in Hathras bus accident while undergoing treatment at a hospital, taking the death toll to 17, officials said on Saturday. Appi (2) and Gulshan succumbed to their injuries at a hospital in Aligarh, they said.

As many as 16 people -- 11 in Hathras and 5 in Aligarh -- are undergoing treatment, District Magistrate of Hathras Ashish Kumar told PTI on Saturday.

At least 15 people, including four women and as many children, travelling in a van were killed on Friday after a roadways bus hit the vehicle from behind on National Highway 93 in Hathras district of Uttar Pradesh, officials said.

"The bus hit the van while trying to overtake it on the Agra-Aligarh national highway," Superintendent of Police (SP) Nipun Agarwal said.

The accident occurred near Kanwarpur village, about 10 kilometres from the district headquarters. The passengers were on their way to Agra from Hathras.

The deceased have been identified as Irshad (25), Munne Khan (55), Muskan (16), Talli (28), Tabassum (28), Najma (25), Bhola (25), Khushbu (25), Jameel (50), Chote (25), Ayan (two), Sufiyan (one), Alfaz (six), Shoaib (five) and Ishrat (50).

Salam Mohammad, a relative of some of the deceased persons said that the accident took place, when some of his family members were returning to their home in Agra after attending a 'chaalisvaa' (a mourning ritual) in Sasni area of Hathras district.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath directed district officials to reach the spot and take care of the relief measures on Friday. The chief minister also gave instructions to provide a financial assistance of Rs 2 lakh each to the kin of the deceased and Rs 50,000 each to those seriously injured.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi condoled the deaths in the accident and wished a speedy recovery to the injured. The local administration is providing all possible help to the victims under the supervision of the state government, he said on X.

Modi announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh each for the kin of the deceased and Rs 50,000 for those injured. President Droupadi Murmu condoled the loss of lives in the accident and prayed for a speedy recovery of the injured.

"The news of the deaths of several people in a road accident in Hathras district of Uttar Pradesh is extremely sad. I express my deepest condolences to the bereaved families who lost their loved ones and pray for a speedy recovery of those injured," Murmu said in a post in Hindi on X.