At least 18 people were killed and injured in the Barabanki road accident on the Lucknow-Ayodhya highway

Barabanki, Uttar Pradesh: At least 18 people were killed and 25 injured after a truck hit a double-decker bus on the Lucknow-Ayodhya highway in Barabanki on Wednesday, police said. The incident took place in Kotwali Ramsanehighat area late on Tuesday night. The private bus was on its way to Bihar from Ludhiana in Punjab, they said.

It was parked on the road after the bus broke down. A few passengers were standing outside the bus while others were sitting inside when the speeding truck hit it from behind, killing 18 people on the spot and injuring 25 others, the police added.

Police rushed to the spot after receiving information about the accident and the rescue operation is underway, which was initially disrupted by heavy rains. The injured were rushed to the hospital with the help of locals, Additional Director General of Police, Lucknow Zone, SN Sabat said.

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has expressed grief over the loss of lives in the accident and directed officials to extend all possible help to the victims. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh each from PMNRF for the next of kin of those who lost their lives in the accident and Rs 50,000 each for the injured.