Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday expressed grief over the tragic road accident in Lakhimpur Kheri district of Uttar Pradesh that reportedly claimed at least nine lives, and announced ex-gratia assistance for the families of the victims and those injured in the mishap.
In a post on social media platform X, the Prime Minister conveyed condolences to the bereaved families and prayed for the speedy recovery of the injured.
“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,” Modi said.
The Prime Minister also announced financial assistance from the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund (PMNRF). Under the relief package, the next of kin of each deceased will receive Rs 2 lakh, while the injured will be given Rs 50,000.
According to reports, the accident occurred on Monday morning near Adalispur village on the Pilibhit-Basti highway, around 40 kilometres from the district headquarters, when a speeding truck collided head-on with a Magic vehicle coming from the opposite direction. Ten people, including two women, were reportedly travelling in the vehicle at the time of the crash.
Officials said the impact of the collision was extremely severe, with the Magic vehicle being dragged nearly 10 feet before coming to a halt. Several passengers sustained critical head injuries, while some became trapped between the seats due to the force of the impact. Two passengers were reportedly thrown onto the road during the collision.
Local residents and emergency personnel rushed to the spot soon after the accident and launched rescue operations to pull out the injured. Those hurt in the crash were shifted to nearby hospitals, where some are said to be undergoing treatment in critical condition.
Authorities are yet to issue a detailed statement regarding the exact cause of the accident. Police officials have initiated an investigation, while rescue and relief efforts continued through the day.