Two separate road accidents in Uttar Pradesh result in multiple fatalities during wedding travel
Introduction
Two distinct road traffic incidents occurred in Uttar Pradesh on consecutive days, both involving vehicles carrying individuals returning from wedding-related events. The accidents, one in Mau district and another in Moradabad district, collectively resulted in nine fatalities and multiple injuries.
Main Body
The first incident took place in the early hours of Saturday on the Gorakhpur-Varanasi four-lane highway near Kusumha Basharatpur in Mau district. According to police reports, a sports utility vehicle (SUV) carrying six occupants—including the driver, family members, and a pet dog—was traveling from Ranchi, Jharkhand, to Gorakhpur after the wedding of the family's daughter. The driver, identified as Purushottam (47), reportedly lost consciousness due to fatigue, causing the vehicle to strike a road divider and veer into the opposite lane, where it collided with a trailer. The impact resulted in extensive damage to the SUV's front section, trapping all occupants. Police and forensic teams required approximately two and a half hours to extract the bodies, which were subsequently sent to the District Hospital in Mau for post-mortem examination. The deceased were identified as Vinay Srivastava (60), his wife Archana Srivastava (58), their son Kritarth Srivastava (27), and drivers Purushottam (47) and Nitish (46). Ghosi Circle Officer Jitendra Singh confirmed that families have been notified and traffic flow has been restored after removal of the vehicles. Concurrently, a second accident occurred on Friday on the Moradabad–Sambhal highway near the Asadpur culvert under Mainather police station limits in Moradabad district. Police stated that a tractor-trolley carrying wedding guests was returning from a pre-wedding ritual in Gurair village to Bhatola village when a high-speed dumper loaded with soil struck the trolley from behind. The collision threw several passengers onto the road. Four individuals were killed: Shanti Devi (55), Suman Singh (30), Ajit Singh (13), and Shristi (8). Fourteen others sustained injuries, with several reported to be in critical condition. Local residents and police transported the injured to the district hospital. The dumper driver fled the scene immediately after the accident. Superintendent of Police (Rural), Moradabad, Kunwar Akash Singh visited the hospital to assess the injured and stated that a detailed investigation is underway, with efforts to locate and arrest the absconding driver. Both incidents share the common context of wedding-related travel, though the circumstances differ: the Mau accident was attributed to driver fatigue, while the Moradabad accident involved a collision with a fleeing driver. In both cases, police have initiated standard procedures including post-mortem examinations and notification of next of kin. The Moradabad police have additionally launched a manhunt for the dumper driver.
Conclusion
As of the latest reports, the injured in Moradabad remain under medical care, and investigations into both accidents are ongoing. The authorities have not released further updates regarding potential charges or preventive measures.