14 killed after truck falls into canal in UP

Fourteen people were on Friday killed and 28 others injured when a truck carrying a marriage party lost control and fell into a canal Uttar Pradesh's Etah.

The incident took place near Sarai Neem in Jalesar area, nearly 230 km from the state capital of Lucknow, at around 3 am when the truck was returning from Agra, the police said.

The deceased have been identified as Girand Singh (65), Prashant (12), Lavkush (21), Mukesh (23), Nerapal (25), Padam Singh (50), Omveer (19), Shaitan Singh (50), Padam Singh (40), Bani Singh (45), Rajendra (60), Vijay (22), Pravendra Fauji (35) and Sanju (25).

All of them died on the spot. The injured have been rushed to hospital.

Condoling the loss of lives in the accident, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced an ex gratia of Rs 2 lakh each for the next of kin of those killed and Rs 50,000 each for those seriously injured in the accident.

"My thoughts are with all those who lost their loved ones in the accident in Etah, UP. May those injured in the accident recover quickly," the prime minister said.

The incident comes a few months after 15 children were killed and over 20 others injured in January when their school bus collided with a lorry amid dense fog on Aliganj-Patiyali road in Etah.

Photograph: ANI