According to the police, the collision occurred between a container truck and a tractor trailer carrying about 60 pilgrims. The truck - registered in Haryana - was later confiscated and police are undergoing legal procedures.
Bulandshahr police chief Dinesh Kumar Singh said that one child and a woman were among the dead, while the injured were taken to nearby hospitals for treatment.
The bodies of the deceased were sent for autopsy. Police said they have identified the people as tractor driver E U Babu (40), Rambeti (65), Chandni (12), Ghaniram (40), Mokshi (40), Shivansh (6), Yogesh (50) and Vinod (45 years old).
45 people are being treated, all of whom are reported to be stable, except for three. Those three people are on a ventilator, police officer Singh said in an interview.
The accident was determined to have occurred at around 2:10 a.m. (local time) on Bulandshahr-Aligarh road near the Arnia bypass, when the container truck crashed into a tractor-trailer from behind, causing it to overturn.
Images from the scene show that the tractor was crushed and the front of the container was severely damaged. The tractor was carrying Gogaji pilgrims - those traveling from Kasganj to Gogamedi.
Fortunately, the accident occurred near Ghatal village on National Highway 34 in the area of Bulandshahr police station. This helps the authorities promptly respond and minimize casualties to the maximum extent.
