In Uttar Pradesh, at least eight pilgrims lost their lives and 32 others were injured in two separate road accidents in Jaunpur last night.

Talking to the media, Jaunpur Superintendent of Police Kaustubh said, the first mishap took place when an unidentified vehicle collided with an SUV carrying a group of devotees on Sultanpur road in the Badlapur area. Five people from Jharkhand including three women and a child were killed in the accident while five others sustained serious injuries.  The victims were en route to Ayodhya from Varanasi.

He said, later another accident occurred on the same stretch when a double-decker bus collided with a stationary truck parked on the roadside. The crash resulted in the death of three pilgrims from Delhi while 27 other passengers were injured. The injured have been referred to the district hospital. The bus passengers, all from Delhi, were travelling to Ayodhya after visiting Varanasi, Chitrakoot, and Prayagraj.

Superintendent of Police Kaustubh stated that additional security personnel are being deployed in the Badlapur area and the road has been cleared following the removal of the damaged vehicles.