A wedding celebration ended in unspeakable tragedy late Friday night in Uttar Pradesh’s Sambhal district, when a Bolero SUV carrying the groom and his family crashed into the boundary wall of an inter college, killing eight people—including the groom himself—just minutes before reaching the bride’s village.
The accident took place around 9 PM in the Junawai area of Gunnaur tehsil, barely two kilometers from the groom’s destination Sirsoul village in Budaun district where his marriage was scheduled. The vehicle, reportedly speeding, lost control and rammed into the wall with such force that it was torn apart, leaving all ten passengers trapped inside.
According to eyewitnesses, the sound of the collision was “like an explosion.” Locals rushed to the scene and, along with police, began a frantic rescue operation. “We had to cut open the doors using machines. The entire vehicle was mangled beyond recognition,” said Inspector Balram Singh Yadav, who led the initial rescue.
Five people, including groom Suraj (24), died on the spot. Three others succumbed to their injuries later at the hospital. The deceased include Suraj’s sister Komal (18), sister-in-law Asha (26), niece Aishwarya (2), Sachin (22) and his wife Madhu (20), Ganesh (6), and the driver Ravi (28). Two survivors—Deva (24) and Himanshi (3)—remain in critical condition and have been referred to Aligarh.
The family had barely begun their journey from Har Govindpur village under Junawai police station when the tragedy struck. At the bride’s house in Sirsoul, wedding celebrations came to a halt as news of the accident spread. Bride Anju, daughter of Raju, was inconsolable, and the entire village plunged into mourning.
The devastating incident prompted swift responses from top leadership.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, expressing his condolences on social media, wrote: “Deeply saddened by the loss of lives in the Sambhal accident. My thoughts are with the bereaved families. I pray for the swift recovery of the injured.”
He also announced ex-gratia compensation of Rs 2 lakh each to the families of the deceased and Rs 50,000 to the injured from the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund (PMNRF).
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath also conveyed his sorrow and directed officials to ensure that the injured receive proper medical care and all possible support is extended to the affected families.
Senior officials including ASP South Anukriti Sharma reached the site soon after the incident and oversaw the relief efforts. SP KK Bishnoi said that prima facie evidence points to driver negligence and over-speeding. “A formal case will be registered, and a detailed investigation is underway,” he said.
What was meant to be a night of joy and celebration has now become a symbol of unimaginable loss a reminder of how one moment of recklessness can devastate multiple families.
