LUCKNOW: A devastating road accident on the Purvanchal Expressway claimed at least five lives and left over 20 passengers injured on Monday afternoon. The double-decker sleeper bus, which was traveling from Ludhiana in Punjab to Darbhanga in Bihar, overturned near the Gosainganj area of Lucknow. Preliminary reports suggest the vehicle was traveling at a high rate of speed when the driver likely lost control after falling asleep at the wheel, causing the bus to careen off the road and flip multiple times near Khemakhera village.
Emergency response teams arrived at the scene shortly after 3:30 PM to find a chaotic scene of wreckage and trapped passengers. Local villagers were the first to provide assistance, helping to pull survivors from the mangled bus before police and ambulances arrived. The injured were initially rushed to the local Community Health Centre, while those in critical condition were later transferred to the KGMU Trauma Centre in Lucknow for specialized medical intervention. Authorities have confirmed that several of the survivors remain in a precarious state, with the death toll potentially rising as medical teams work around the clock.
Senior administrative officials, including District Magistrate Vishak G. and Police Commissioner Amrendra Sengar, visited the medical facilities to monitor the relief operations and ensure that the victims receive immediate care. Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak expressed his deep condolences to the bereaved families and directed the health department to provide all necessary treatment free of cost. Most of the passengers were migrant workers returning home to Bihar, and officials are currently in the process of identifying the deceased to inform their next of kin.
The incident has once again raised serious concerns regarding the safety of long-distance sleeper buses operating between Punjab and Bihar. Police have impounded the vehicle and initiated a formal investigation into the negligence of the private bus operator. Investigators are looking into whether the bus was overloaded beyond its capacity and if the mandatory rest periods for drivers were being ignored. As the expressway remains one of the busiest corridors for interstate travel, the local administration has vowed to increase patrolling and speed enforcement to prevent similar tragedies in the future.
