Dense Fog Triggers Deadly Chain Of Road Accidents Across Uttar Pradesh, Leaving Seven Dead And Over 40 Injured

Lucknow: A severe spell of dense fog swept across Uttar Pradesh on Saturday, triggering a series of road accidents in more than 10 districts and claiming at least seven lives, including that of a child. Poor visibility on highways and arterial roads led to collisions involving cars, buses, pickups and heavy vehicles, leaving over 40 people injured and overwhelming emergency services across the state.

Statewide emergency response

From western UP to Purvanchal, police and rescue teams remained engaged through the night and early morning as vehicle pile-ups and high-speed crashes were reported from Sultanpur, Shahjahanpur, Bareilly, Prayagraj, Meerut, Bulandshahr, Kanpur, Baghpat, Pratapgarh and Amroha.

In Sultanpur, two labourers were killed late Friday night when a pickup carrying workers from Raebareli to Azamgarh was hit from behind by an unidentified truck on the Purvanchal Expressway near Anupur under Dostpur police station limits. The pickup overturned after the impact. Ajay Kumar, 30, and Rajole, 35, both residents of Gambhirpur in Raebareli, died during treatment. Seven others were critically injured and shifted to Ambedkar Nagar district hospital. Police said the truck driver fled the scene.

Shahjahanpur pile-up

Shahjahanpur witnessed one of the deadliest pile-ups of the day after four vehicles collided on the Miranpur Katra Jalalabad state highway near Khairpur crossing on Saturday morning. Two tanker drivers lost their lives on the spot, while traffic on the route remained disrupted for several hours until cranes removed the mangled vehicles.

In Bareilly, a Delhi Public School bus collided with a pickup on the Shahi Fatehganj Paschimi road amid heavy fog. The bus was heading to the school in Parsakheda and was not carrying students at the time. Both drivers suffered minor injuries.

Prayagraj hit-and-run

In Prayagraj, a speeding car ran over a motorcyclist on the Chaufatka bridge, killing him on the spot. The deceased was identified as Ajit Singh, a resident of Balua Ghat area. The car driver fled after the accident. Police have registered a case and sent the body for post-mortem.

Meerut reported a tragic incident in Pallavpuram where a car skidded off a narrow culvert near a CNG pump and overturned into a drain due to poor visibility. An 18-month-old child drowned, while other family members travelling in the car sustained serious injuries. Locals and police pulled out the occupants and rushed them to hospital.

In Bulandshahr, a cyclist was killed after being hit by a speeding car near Tajpur village under Kotwali Dehat police station. The car overturned into a ditch following the collision, leaving the driver critically injured.

Kanpur highway crash

Kanpur saw a late-night crash on the Kanpur Prayagraj National Highway near Narwal turn when a dumper rammed into a stationary vehicle. The dumper driver was trapped in the cabin for nearly three hours before being rescued by fire service teams and shifted to hospital.

In Baghpat, two cars collided on the Delhi Dehradun highway near Mavi Kala, injuring six people. All the injured were taken to the district hospital and later referred to higher centres.

Pratapgarh pilgrim accident

In Pratapgarh, a pickup carrying pilgrims from Sant Kabir Nagar to Prayagraj for the Mauni Amavasya bath was hit by a bus near Jogapur village. At least 23 pilgrims were injured and admitted to the medical college, police said.

Amroha also witnessed chaos on the national highway near Didoli village where more than 10 vehicles collided in two separate incidents amid near-zero visibility. Over six people were injured, three of them critically. Traffic remained disrupted for nearly two hours before police cleared the road.

Officials said visibility had dropped sharply in most districts during the night and early morning. Police and district administrations have appealed to motorists to avoid unnecessary travel in foggy conditions, use fog lights and drive at controlled speeds as cold wave and dense fog are likely to continue.