Footage from the crash shows a crumpled SUV being pulled out of the back of the truck.
Pratapgarh:
Fourteen people, including six children, died in a tragic traffic accident in Pratapgarh, Uttar Pradesh, after their car collided with a truck on the road Thursday night.
All occupants of the SUV were killed in the accident and several more were injured. The accident occurred around 11:45 p.m. Thursday on the Prayagraj-Lucknow highway near the town of Deshraj Inara.
Footage from the accident shows a crumpled Mahindra Bolero being pulled out of the back of the truck.
Pratapgarh (SP) Police Superintendent Anurag Arya said the truck was parked on the side of the road due to a flat tire when the truck struck from behind. Half of the car was later pulled in a wrecked state from under the truck by police officers, he said.
All the victims were returning to their village in Kunda in the district after attending a wedding, the police officer said, adding that all aid has been assured to the families of the victims.
Five bodies were recovered shortly after the accident, while the rest of the bodies were removed after the car was recovered from under the truck. The children who died in the accident were between 7 and 15 years old, the official said. The other eight victims were all men between the ages of 20 and 60.
“We have spoken with the families of the victims and the heads of their villages and we have assured them of all possible help,” added SP Arya.
“All bodies will be sent for a post-mortem examination on Friday,” the police officer said, adding that efforts are being made to contact the owners of both the van and the van.
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has expressed his condolences for the accident and has ordered senior officials to arrive at the scene and provide all possible assistance, his office said according to the ANI news agency.
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