UP Accident: 24 Migrant Labourers Killed, 36 Injured In UP Road Mishap

At least 24 migrant labourers lost their lives and 36 people sustained injuries when a trailer truck carrying them collided with another truck in the early hours of Saturday in Auraiya district of Uttar Pradesh, police said.

Both the trucks were carrying the labourers. The incident took place between 3 am and 3.30 am, they said.

"The accident took place in Mihauli in which 24 people died, and around 36 were injured. A trailer truck carrying around 50 migrant labourers was coming from Rajasthan and it collided with another truck.

The accident took place on Saturday between 3.00 am and 3.30 am," Circle Officer, Auraiya, Surendranath Yadav told PTI.

Auraiya, which falls under the Kanpur division, is in south-west Uttar Pradesh. It is on the National Highway-19 and is 400 km away from Delhi and 200 km from Lucknow.

The trolley, sources said, was carrying 81 migrant workers who were on their way from Faridabad to Gorakhpur.

Elaborating on the incident, Yadav said, "The trailer truck hit the other vehicle, which was coming from Delhi and heading towards Chhatarpur in Madhya Pradesh. Both the vehicles turned upside down after losing control."

The chief minister, in a statement released by the state government, directed the divisional commissioner and IG Kanpur to visit the site and give a report on the cause of the accident immediately.

"UP chief minister has taken note of the unfortunate incident in Auraiya. He has expressed his deepest condolences to the families of the labourers who lost their lives. He has also directed that all the injured be provided medical care and the Divisional Commissioner and IG Kanpur to visit the site and give the report on the cause of the accident immediately," the statement said.

Talking to PTI over the phone, Inspector General, Kanpur, Mohit Agarwal said most of the migrant labourers in both the vehicles were from Jharkhand and West Bengal.

"The accident took place when some of the labourers travelling on the truck (coming from Delhi) halted on the Auraiya-Kanpur Dehat Road to have tea at a local shop. At this point of time, a truck coming from Rajasthan hit the stationary vehicle. The intensity of the hit was so huge that both the vehicles turned upside down and fell into a ditch on the roadside," he told PTI.

"Of the 36 injured, as many as 14 labourers with serious injuries have been admitted to PGI in Saifai (in Etawah district), while 22 have been hospitalised in Auraiya," he added.

Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Awanish Awasthi said, "Going by the information received till now, there were a couple of migrant labourers from Uttar Pradesh's Kushinagar district. Most of the deceased labourers were from West Bengal and Jharkhand."

When asked whether any financial assistance will be provided to the families of the deceased, he said information in this regard will be given soon.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, former Congress President Rahul Gandhi and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal condoled the death of 24 migrant workers in the UP accident and prayed for the speedy recovery of the injured.

In a tweet, the Prime Minister said, "I am deeply hurt by the tragic road accident in Uttar Pradesh's Auraiya. Government is taking all relief measures. I express my condolence to the families of the those who died in the accident and also pray for the speedy recovery of the injured."

उत्तर प्रदेश के औरैया में सड़क दुर्घटना बेहद ही दुखद है। सरकार राहत कार्य में तत्परता से जुटी है। इस हादसे में मारे गए लोगों के परिजनों के प्रति अपनी संवेदना प्रकट करता हूं, साथ ही घायलों के जल्द से जल्द स्वस्थ होने की कामना करता हूं।

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) May 16, 2020

In a tweet Rajnath Singh said, "I am deeply saddened to know about the death of many workers in the road accident in Auraiya of Uttar Pradesh. I express my condolences to the families of those who died in this accident. I pray for the speedy recovery of workers who are injured in the accident."

उत्तर प्रदेश के औरैया में हुए सड़क हादसे में कई श्रमिकों की मृत्यु के बारे में जानकर अत्यंत दुख हुआ है।इस दुर्घटना में जिन लोगों की जान गई है, मैं उनके परिजनों के प्रति अपनी संवेदना प्रकट करता हूं।साथ ही दुर्घटना में घायल हुए मज़दूरों के जल्द से जल्द स्वस्थ होने की कामना करता हूँ

— Rajnath Singh (@rajnathsingh) May 16, 2020

The Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in a tweet also condoled the death of 24 migrant workers and said, "I am saddened by the news of the death of 24 laborers and the injured to many people in Auraiya of Uttar Pradesh. I express my deepest condolences to the families of the deceased and wish the injured well soon.

उतर प्रदेश के औरैया में सड़क हादसे में 24 मजदूरों की मौत और अनेक लोगों के घायल होने की खबर से आहत हूं।मृतकों के परिवारों के प्रति मैं अपनी गहरी संवेदना व्यक्त करता हूं और घायलों के जल्द स्वस्थ होने की कामना करता हूं।

— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) May 16, 2020

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convenor, Kejriwal also took to twitter and wrote, "Extremely disturbed by the loss of lives in the accident in Auraiya. The tragedy of migrant labour keeps getting worse. Something needs to be done urgently."

Extremely disturbed by the loss of lives in the accident in Auraiya. The tragedy of migrant labour keeps getting worse. Something needs to be done urgently.

— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) May 16, 2020

(With agency inputs)