LUCKNOW: Six people, including a 68-year-old man and his two sons, were killed and two others sustained serious injuries after an Omni van collided head-on with a trailer truck near Tharuadih Hanuman temple in Kushinagar in the intervening night of Sunday and Monday.The collision was so powerful that the van was completely mangled, trapping all eight occupants inside. Rescue personnel had to use gas cutters to cut open the vehicle’s doors and extricate the trapped occupants. Six people died on the spot, while the two injured were rushed to hospital.According to the police, the accident occurred around 12.15 am on the Hata-Pipraich road under Hata police station limits. The Omni van (UP53EQ5569) was travelling from Hata towards Kaptanganj, carrying eight men, including the driver, who were returning home after attending a relative’s tilak (engagement) ceremony. Meanwhile, a trailer truck (UP53GT5156) was coming from Ahirauli Bazaar towards Hata when the two vehicles collided head-on near Tharuadih Hanuman temple.The deceased have been identified as Mridul Mishra (38), Kanhaiya Prasad (45), Mithilesh Gupta (22), Ranjay Gupta (38), Ram Milan (38) and Ramvilas (68). All six were residents of Bhaluhi village under Kaptanganj police station limits.According to information available, Kanhaiya Prasad was the representative of the village head in Bhaluhi gram panchayat. Ram Milan was his younger brother, while Ramvilas was their father. Ranjay Gupta was serving in the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and was reportedly posted in Chhattisgarh. He had come home on leave for Dussehra and was scheduled to return to duty on November 5.The two injured have been identified as Ayush (14) and Aryan (19), both sons of Ram Milan. They were initially taken to the Community Health Centre in Hata and subsequently referred to BRD Medical College in Gorakhpur for advanced treatment.The impact of the collision was so severe that the front portion of the van was crushed and pushed towards the rear seats, leaving its occupants trapped. The trailer’s cabin was also badly damaged and twisted, while parts of the van were scattered across the road. The trailer reportedly veered off the road following the collision.On receiving information, police personnel rushed to the spot and initiated rescue operations. Given the extent of damage to the van, gas cutters were used to slice open its doors and retrieve the occupants. The six bodies were subsequently sent to the district mortuary for post-mortem examination.Police took both vehicles into custody and shifted them to a secure location. The trailer driver’s whereabouts were not immediately known.In its official statement, Kushinagar Police said no written complaint had been received in connection with the accident so far. Further legal action would be initiated after receiving a complaint. Police also said the situation at the spot was under control and there was no law-and-order problem.The accident left the families of the deceased devastated, particularly the family of the village head’s representative. The death of Ranjay Gupta, who was on leave from his CRPF posting, also plunged his family into mourning.Superintendent of Police, Kushinagar, Keshav Kumar, said the van driver was prima facie found to be in an inebriated condition at the time of the accident. He added that the trailer driver had been traced and would be arrested soon. Police are investigating the circumstances leading to the collision.Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Monday took cognisance of the road accident in Kushinagar that claimed six lives and left two others injured.Expressing condolences to the bereaved families, the Chief Minister directed officials to immediately reach the accident site and expedite relief and rescue operations.He also instructed the authorities to establish communication with the families of the deceased and ensure that all possible assistance was extended to them. The Chief Minister further wished the injured a speedy recovery and directed officials to ensure proper medical treatment for them.
