A devastating road accident in Dramandganj area of Mirzapur district, Uttar Pradesh, claimed 12 lives on Wednesday night. Among the deceased were four women and four minors, with nine occupants of an SUV perishing as the vehicle turned into a fireball after a collision.
Details of the Accident
According to local officials, the accident occurred around 8:20 PM on the steep slope of Badka Ghuman in Dramandganj. A truck (registration MP15HA3775) descending the slope suffered brake failure and collided with a car (UP65MT4038) and a trailer (BR24GC7990) ahead. Moments later, an SUV (UP63AC5589) hit the truck from behind and erupted in flames.
District Magistrate Pawan Kumar Gangwar confirmed that 11 persons died at the scene, while the injured truck driver, Aziz (53), succumbed to injuries during treatment early Thursday morning. The deceased were identified as Piyush Singh (14), Veena Singh (47), Sonam (9), Shiva Singh (8), Vandana Singh (43), Pankaj Singh (40), Vishnu Singh (45)—all from Jigna, Mirzapur; Priyanka Singh (42) and her son Kartikeya Singh (18) from Satna; Jai Prakash (27) from Robertsganj, Sonbhadra; and Vikas Sharma (32) from Sagar, Madhya Pradesh.
Failed Rescue Attempts
Eyewitnesses and other drivers reported that despite efforts to rescue the trapped victims, the intense flames and heat made it impossible to approach the SUV. Drivers of trucks behind the SUV recalled seeing the collision and stopping to help, but within five to six seconds, the SUV exploded into a fireball, charring all nine occupants to death. The victims were relatives returning to Mirzapur after completing a mundan ceremony at Maihar in Madhya Pradesh.
Local residents speculated that had the SUV driver managed to control the vehicle in time, the lives might have been saved. It is also suspected that the truck driver had switched off the engine to save fuel, leading to brake failure.
Official Response
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath expressed deep grief over the incident, calling it extremely tragic and heart-rending. He extended condolences to the bereaved families and directed officials to provide all necessary assistance. A financial relief of Rs 2 lakh for each deceased was announced from the Chief Minister's Relief Fund. The district magistrate confirmed that the bodies were handed over to families after post-mortem examinations.
The body of the car driver, Munnar, was severely crushed between two trucks, requiring cutters to extract it. The police investigation has attributed the accident to brake failure of the truck.
