PMO announces ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh for kin of Kannauj bus accident victims

NEW DELHI: The Prime Minister's Office (PMO) on Friday announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh from the Prime Minister's National Relief Fund (PMNRF) to the next of kin of each deceased in the tragic bus accident in Kannauj, Uttar Pradesh. The injured would receive Rs. 50,000 in compensation.

In a post on X (formerly Twitter), the PMO expressed its condolences: "Saddened by the loss of lives in the bus accident in Kannauj, Uttar Pradesh. Condolences to those who lost their loved ones. May the injured recover soon. The local administration is assisting those affected. An ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh from PMNRF would be given to the next of kin of each deceased. The injured would be given Rs 50,000: PM."



Eight people lost their lives, and 40 others sustained injuries when a double-decker bus collided with a tanker on the Agra-Lucknow Expressway in Uttar Pradesh's Kannauj district on Friday afternoon.

According to police reports, the bus, travelling from Lucknow to Delhi, rammed into a tanker watering plants along the divider. The impact caused both vehicles to overturn after hitting the divider with significant force.

Survivors claimed the bus driver had fallen asleep at the wheel, leading to the loss of control. Local residents joined the rescue efforts, breaking bus windows to help passengers trapped inside.

Emergency services, including the UPEIDA team and police, reached the site promptly, while injured passengers were taken to medical facilities in Tirwa (Kannauj) and Saifai (Etawah).

Uttar Pradesh's water resources minister Swatantra Dev Singh, who was travelling on the same expressway, stopped his convoy to oversee rescue operations and ensure the injured were swiftly transported for medical care. He has directed district magistrate Shubhrant Kumar Shukla to conduct an investigation into the accident.

Kannauj superintendent of police Amit Kumar Anand confirmed that the deceased included five passengers, one woman, and the bus driver.