Rescuers on Saturday pulled out 10 bodies from the wreckage of the double-decker bus that caught fire after colliding with a truck in Kannauj district of Uttar Pradesh on Friday night.
Many of the bodies were burned beyond recognition after the fire swept through the bus following the accident, police said. They added that 13 survivors have been taken to a hospital.
Officials said rescuers could get inside the bus around 4am after the bus’ structure that was burning cooled down.
“The bodies are badly burned and their bones are scattered inside the bus. So only a DNA test will determine the death toll,” inspector general (Kanpur range) Mohit Agarwal said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi condoled the deaths of the passengers.
“It is very sad to know about the horrific road accident in Kannauj, Uttar Pradesh. Many people have lost their lives in this accident. I express my condolences to the relatives of the dead, as well as wish the injured well soon,” he tweeted on Saturday morning.
उत्तर प्रदेश के कन्नौज में हुए भीषण सड़क हादसे के बारे में जानकर अत्यंत दुख पहुंचा है। इस दुर्घटना में कई लोगों को अपनी जान गंवानी पड़ी है। मैं मृतकों के परिजनों के प्रति अपनी संवेदनाएं प्रकट करता हूं, साथ ही घायलों के शीघ्र स्वस्थ होने की कामना करता हूं।
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) January 11, 2020
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi also took to Twitter to express his condolences to the bereaved.
“I am deeply saddened by the horrific road accident in Uttar Pradesh’s Kannauj. Many people have lost their lives in the accident. I express my condolence to the relatives of the dead and wish the injured get well soon,” he tweeted in Hindi on Saturday morning.
Survivors said the private sleeper bus, run by Vimal Bus Service, was on the wrong side when it collided with a truck carrying plastic toys near Ghiloi village. The fuel tank of the bus burst after the collision as the fire spread through the structure.
“The driver didn’t open the doors of the bus and many people came out by breaking the windows,” Neeraj, a survivor, said.
It was carrying at least 45 people and headed to Rajasthan’s Jaipur from Farrukhabad via Chhibramau. Police said 25 people had boarded the bus from Gursahaigunj in Farukhabad and some people got on from Chhibramau but their number is not clear.
Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath also expressed his condolence and announced Rs 2 lakh as compensation for each passenger killed in the accident and Rs 50,000 each for those grievously injured.
Seventeen people were killed on June 17 last year in Mainpuri after a bus operated by Vimal Service met with an accident.
