17 killed in Uttar Pradesh road accident

At least 17 people were killed and 20 injured as a bus overturned after hitting a divider in Mainpuri district of northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh this morning, police said.

The bus was carrying around 60-70 passengers from Jaipur in Rajasthan state to Farukkhabad in Uttar Pradesh, our New Delhi correspondent reports quoting Om Prakash Singh, Mainpuri Additional Superintendent of Police.

The vehicle overturned after hitting a divider in Tirathpur village located almost 25km from the district headquarters Mainpuri at around 5:30am local time, the police official added.

Singh said a number of casualties include persons who were sleeping on the roof of the bus to escape from the prevailing severe heat.

The bus driver has lost his left leg and is currently in a hospital, the ASP said.

Police said efforts are underway to ascertain the identity of the victims which include one woman and 16 men.

The police officer said the private bus was carrying mostly labourers who work in brick kilns and were returning to their native villages.