Kanpur: The death toll in the head-on collision between a double-decker bus and a loader ferrying factory workers on the Kanpur-Allahabad highway has climbed to 17, officials said on Wednesday.
A factory worker, who was among those injured in the accident that took place on Tuesday night, died during treatment, they said.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday expressed grief at the untimely demise of 17 people in a road accident in Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, and announced Rs 2 lakh ex-gratia for the families of the deceased.
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Expressing his condolences to the near and dear ones of the victims, the Prime Minister in a tweet also prayed for the early recovery of those injured.
Modi also announced the ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh each from the Prime Minister's National Relief Fund (PMNRF) for the next of kin of those who lost their lives. Those injured will be provided Rs 50,000.
The injured are being treated at the Lala Lajpat Rai hospital here and the condition of some of them is critical, said Ashtbhuja P Singh, Superintendent of Police, Kanpur Outer.
The Delhi-bound bus collided with the loader ferrying 16 biscuit factory workers at Kisan Nagar, the SP said.
While 10 people died on the spot, seven succumbed to injuries while being taken to hospital or during treatment, the SP said.
Over 70 bus passengers had sustained minor injuries, he added.
Passengers on the bus told police that the driver had consumed liquor minutes before the accident took place, sources said.
Earlier, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath also announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh to families of those killed.
(With PTI & IANS Inputs)