At least 18 killed as over-speeding bus crashes into milk tanker on Indian highway

At least 18 people were killed and 19 others injured after a bus in India collided with a milk tanker on Wednesday morning.

The incident took place on a busy expressway in the most populous Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, when a double-decker bus rammed into the milk tanker while it was on its way to capital Delhi from the eastern state of Bihar.

The impact of the collision on the Lucknow-Agra Expressway was such that it threw people out of the bus, with visuals showing dead bodies lying on the ground, alongside shattered glass and metal scraps.

This is the second major incident in the state within a week. At least 121 people died in a stampede in Hathras last Tuesday when hundreds of thousands turned up for a prayer meeting by a self-styled preacher.

"Today at around 5.15am, a private bus coming from Motihari, Bihar, collided with a milk tanker. Eighteen people have lost their lives, and 19 others are injured in the accident,” Gaurang Rathi, district magistrate of Unnao, was quoted as saying by NDTV.

The cause of the crash remains under investigation, with the initial probe suggesting that the bus was overspeeding, said Mr Rathi.

At least two women and a child were among the deceased. The injured were rushed to a hospital and receiving medical aid, said officials.

“On receiving the information of the incident, police reached the spot, took out all the injured and admitted them to CHC Bangarmau for treatment and necessary action is being taken by taking the bodies in custody,” local police told ANI.

State’s chief minister Yogi Adityanath expressed his condolences over the incident and directed officials to ensure proper treatment of the injured.

Opposition Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge also condoled the loss of lives in the incident.

“The news of the death of 18 people in a tragic road accident on the Lucknow-Agra Expressway in Unnao, UP is very sad. We express our deepest condolences to the bereaved families of the victims. We wish for the speedy recovery of all those injured in the accident. The administration is requested not to leave any stone unturned in helping the victims,” Mr Kharge wrote on X.