UP: PM Modi condoles death of 24 migrants in truck accident in Auraiya

At least 24 migrant workers were killed and 37 injured in an accident that took place in Uttar Pradesh's Auraiya district around 2.30 am on Saturday. Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his condolences over the incident and said the government is engaged in providing relief to the kin of the deceased.

Auraiya Additional Superintendent of Police Kamlesh Kumar Dixit said that police teams reached the spot after getting information about the accident and were involved in the rescue operation.

Giving details of the accident, Dixit said, "The accident happened between 2 am and 3 am on Saturday under the Kotwali police station at a place called Mihauli. A trolley truck, which was coming from Rajasthan and was loaded with white putti. It had people who were headed to Jharkhand, Bihar and West Bengal. The truck was stationed at Mihauli at a dhaba where people were getting tea. A DCM truck which was coming from Delhi which had around 20 migrant workers. The DCM truck hit the trolley after the driver possibly fell asleep on the wheel. Both vehicles overturned. police reached the spot as soon as we got information."

The ASP informed that at least 24 people were killed in the accident and 22 were referred to the Uttar Pradesh University of Medical Sciences in Saifai, Etawah. "All the deceased died on the spot and 15 people are being treated in Auraiya district hospital," added the ASP.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi expressed his deepest condolences to the families of the migrant labourers killed in the accident. "Pained by the news of the death of 24 labourers and injuries to many people in the accident in Uttar Pradesh's Auraiya. I express my deepest condolences to the families of the deceased and wish speedy recovery for those injured," Gandhi said in a tweet.

Meanwhile, BSP president Mayawati asked Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday to ensure that his directives on the safety of stranded labourers returning home were being implemented by the officials. "It was only yesterday that I saw the Uttar Pradesh chief minister announcing on TV that all necessary arrangements for migrants are being made. But it seems that officials are not implementing those at ground level which led to a major accident in the state and this is most unfortunate," Mayawati said in a statement.

"Had the officials made arrangements for their food and other things they would not have got down at a tea stall in Auraiya," she said demanding strict action against the officials who have failed to fulfill their responsibility.

(Inputs and image from theindianexpress.com)