A major road accident occurred in Kannauj, Uttar Pradesh, early Sunday morning when a truck heavily laden with bags of flour plummeted into the Ganga river. The incident took place at approximately 4:00 AM, as the vehicle broke through the safety railing of the Mehndi Ghat bridge and fell 20 feet into the water below. The truck was carrying three individuals, including the driver, a cleaner, and a businessman, who were all submerged during the crash. Local residents, alerted by the commotion, rushed to the spot and immediately sought assistance from the police and local divers. Following a rescue operation, the driver and the businessman were successfully pulled out of the river, though the cleaner remains missing, and search efforts to locate him are ongoing.
Accident at the Mehndi Ghat Bridge
The accident occurred on the Mehndi Ghat bridge, which connects Kannauj and Hardoi, roughly 8 kilometers from the district headquarters. To retrieve the submerged vehicle, officials have deployed teams from the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI). The rescue mission faces significant challenges due to the structural weakness of the bridge, which makes the deployment of heavy machinery for recovery efforts difficult and slow.
Fatigue Leads to Collision
Initial police investigations and accounts from eyewitnesses suggest the cause of the crash. The truck was reportedly en route from Hardoi to Auraiya carrying a consignment of flour. It appears the driver experienced a moment of fatigue and dozed off while crossing the bridge, causing the truck to lose control, strike the iron railing, and crash into the river. Witnesses described hearing a loud thud upon the truck's impact with the water and hearing the cries of those trapped inside, which prompted them to raise the alarm and contact authorities.
Victims Identified and Current Status
After being rescued, the businessman and the driver were immediately transported to the district hospital. Due to the severity of their condition, medical professionals have referred both victims to the Kannauj Medical College for further treatment. The injured have been identified as Sangeet Kumar, a businessman from Sahar in Auraiya, and Shravan Kumar, a driver from Gurauli in Hardoi. The missing cleaner has been identified as Vineet Kumar Dwivedi, son of Shivkant, a resident of Hardoi. Specialized divers are continuing to scour the river in hopes of locating him.
