Five dead and 10 injured after bus overturns in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh

A tragic road accident in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, claimed the lives of at least five people and left 10 others injured on Thursday night. The mishap happened when a state roadways bus lost control, collided with a water tanker, and fell into a deep ditch in the Kakori area of the state capital. The accident has drawn immediate attention from the state administration, with Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath issuing strict directions for relief and rescue work.

How the accident happened

According to officials, the bus was travelling from Hardoi towards Lucknow. While crossing the Kakori area, the driver suddenly lost control of the vehicle. In a matter of moments, the bus rammed into a water tanker before plunging nearly 20 feet down into a ditch along the roadside. The impact was so severe that several passengers were trapped inside, leading to chaos and panic.

Locals from nearby villages rushed to the spot as soon as they heard the crash. With the help of the Uttar Pradesh Police, they worked together to rescue those stuck inside the damaged bus. A rescue operation was launched immediately, with cranes and other equipment deployed to pull the bus out of the ditch and to save passengers who were struggling to come out.

Amrendra K Sengar, Additional Director General (ADG) of Police for the Lucknow Zone, confirmed the casualties to the media. “So far, five people have died in the Kakori bus accident. More than 10 are injured,” he said.

District Magistrate Vishak G also reached the accident site and shared details with reporters. He explained that the injured passengers were quickly taken to the Kakori community health centre for treatment. “The bus was on its way to Lucknow from Hardoi. It fell into a ditch on the highway after hitting a tanker. Five people have lost their lives, while the injured are being treated at nearby medical facilities,” the DM said.

The condition of some of the injured passengers is said to be critical. Officials have assured that arrangements are being made to shift the seriously injured to better-equipped hospitals in Lucknow if needed.

CM Yogi orders strict action and immediate help

As news of the tragedy spread, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath expressed grief over the loss of lives. Taking prompt cognisance of the incident, he directed senior officials to immediately visit the site and oversee the rescue efforts. The Chief Minister also instructed the local administration to ensure proper medical care for the injured and to provide financial and logistical assistance to the victims’ families.

In such situations, the state government usually provides ex-gratia relief to the next of kin of the deceased and support for those injured. Although an official announcement is yet to be made, compensation measures are expected soon.

The accident has once again highlighted concerns over road safety in Uttar Pradesh, especially on highways where over-speeding, poor road conditions, and fatigue among drivers often lead to deadly mishaps. Authorities are likely to review the accident details and fix responsibility for negligence, if any, on the part of the bus driver or road maintenance staff.

Another tragedy in Pilibhit

While the Kakori accident shocked residents of Lucknow, another road mishap was reported from Pilibhit district on the same day. In this second incident, three members of the same family — a woman, her son, and her grandson — lost their lives when the motorcycle they were riding collided head-on with a car.

The deceased were identified as Sushila (55), her son Praveen (35), and his young son Yash Kumar, who was around nine years old. The family, originally from Takeli village in Shahjahanpur district, was on their way to Guladia village to meet relatives.

The collision occurred near Mangalam Barat Ghar in Virsinghpur village, located on the Bisalpur-Deoria road. The impact of the crash was fatal, leaving all three dead on the spot. Police reached the location and shifted the bodies for post-mortem.

This second accident further underlines the rising number of road fatalities in Uttar Pradesh, where multiple accidents are reported every day. Authorities continue to appeal to drivers to follow traffic rules, avoid speeding, and remain alert while on highways.

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A reminder for road safety

The twin tragedies in Lucknow and Pilibhit serve as a grim reminder of the urgent need for stronger road safety measures in the state. Experts say that better driver training, stricter enforcement of speed limits, and improved road design could prevent many such accidents. The government is also being urged to improve emergency medical response in rural areas so that lives can be saved in the golden hour after a crash.

For the families of the victims, however, the loss is irreparable. The Lucknow accident took away five lives in a single night, leaving several families in mourning. At the same time, the Pilibhit crash ended the lives of three generations of a single family, creating heartbreak in their village community.

The back-to-back tragedies have left people across Uttar Pradesh saddened and have sparked fresh calls for road safety awareness and stricter monitoring on state highways.