Unnao accident: Bus was 'unfit' for operations

Unnao (UP): The double-decker bus that hit a milk tanker on the Agra-Lucknow Expressway, leaving 18 people dead, was "unfit" for operations, officials said.

Police have registered an FIR in connection with the incident, which also left 19 people injured, but have not named any accused, they said.

"The bus that met with the accident belongs to M/s K C Jain Travels Jodhpur, Rajasthan which is registered at Pushpendra Singh's address in Mawai Khurd of Mahoba district of Uttar Pradesh. The said bus was found to be unfit for operations as it did not have the necessary documents," Assistant Divisional Transport Officer (Enforcement) Arvind Singh told reporters on Wednesday.

"On contacting Pushpendra Singh, it was found that the bus was being operated by Chandan Jaiswal, a resident of Paharganj in Delhi," he said.

Based on a complaint by Arvind Singh, an FIR was registered in the matter on Wednesday under sections 233 (using false evidence), 106-1 (death due to negligence) and 125 (endangering the life or personal safety of others) of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS).

"No accused has been named in the FIR. We are trying to ascertain the real owner of the bus and the company that operated it. Arrests will be made once it is ascertained," said Investigating Officer (IO) Phool Singh.

Meanwhile, the local administration was busy making arrangements to send the bodies of the 18 people killed in the accident, all of them from Bihar, to their native places.

The deceased were identified as bus driver Ekhlaq (49), milk tanker driver Sunil Kumar (35), Ashfaq (45), Ruby (40), Gulnaz (12), Suhail (4), Sonu (32) and Soni (28), Deepak Kumar (27), Shivdayal (28), Murtaza (53), Bharat Rai (45), Anil Rai (41), Himanshu (23), Naushad (41), Ramchandra Sahni (40), Shahid Ali (45) and Satendra Rai (30).

Chief Medical Officer (CMO) of Unnao Dr Satya Prakash said ambulances carrying the bodies of 15 victims left for their native places around 1 am after post-mortem examination. The ambulances were provided by the administration.

"Post-mortem of the remaining three bodies was completed around 10 am and they were also sent to the victims' native places in ambulances," the CMO added.

Sixteen of the 19 injured were admitted to the district hospital. Six of the injured who sustained serious injuries were referred to Lucknow and Kanpur trauma centres on Wednesday, said Chief Medical Superintendent of district hospital Dr Vivek Gupta.

"Five of the 10 injured were discharged from the hospital after their condition improved. The other five are undergoing treatment and are out of danger," he said.

Former MP Anand Mohan reached the district hospital late on Wednesday night and met the injured. He also consoled the family members of the deceased.

Inputs from PTI