Six people were killed and two others seriously injured after an Omni van collided head-on with a trailer truck on the Hata-Pipraich road in Uttar Pradesh’s Kushinagar district in the early hours of Monday. The crash near Tharuadih Hanuman temple left all eight occupants trapped inside the mangled van, requiring rescue personnel to use gas cutters to open its doors.
According to Kushinagar Police, the collision occurred around 12.15 am under the limits of Hata police station. The van, registration number UP53EQ5569, was travelling from Hata towards Kaptanganj with eight men who were returning home after attending a relative’s tilak ceremony. The trailer, registration number UP53GT5156, was travelling from Ahirauli Bazaar towards Hata when the vehicles collided.
The deceased were 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. Police said Kanhaiya Prasad was the representative of the village head in Bhaluhi gram panchayat. Ram Milan was his younger brother and Ramvilas was their father.
Ranjay Gupta was serving with the Central Reserve Police Force and was reportedly posted in Chhattisgarh. He had returned home on leave for Dussehra and was scheduled to resume duty on November 5, according to the report.
The two injured passengers were identified as Ayush, 14, and Aryan, 19, both sons of Ram Milan. They were first taken to the Community Health Centre in Hata and later referred to BRD Medical College in Gorakhpur for advanced treatment. The six bodies were sent to the district mortuary for post-mortem examination.
The force of the impact crushed the front of the van towards its rear seats, trapping the occupants. The trailer’s cabin was also badly damaged and twisted, while debris from the van was scattered across the road. The trailer reportedly veered off the road after the collision.
Police personnel reached the site after receiving information and began rescue operations. Both vehicles were taken into custody and moved to a secure location. Superintendent of Police, Kushinagar, Keshav Kumar, said the van driver was prima facie found to be in an inebriated condition. He added that the trailer driver had been traced and would be arrested soon.
Kushinagar Police said no written complaint had been received at the time of its official statement and that further legal action would follow after a complaint was filed. Police also said the situation at the site was under control and that there was no law-and-order problem.
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath took cognisance of the accident and expressed condolences to the families of those killed. He directed officials to expedite relief and rescue operations, establish communication with the bereaved families and ensure that the injured received proper medical treatment. Police are investigating the circumstances that led to the collision.
