A tragic road accident in Mirzapur has left at least 11 people dead after a suspected brake failure triggered a devastating chain collision involving several vehicles. The accident occurred on Wednesday evening on a downhill stretch of road connecting the Dramandganj valley to the Lasoda area, turning what was an ordinary evening into a scene of chaos and grief.
According to police officials, the incident was reported around 8:30 pm. Initial findings suggest that a truck traveling downhill may have lost control after its brakes failed. The truck crashed into another truck moving ahead of it. In between the two heavy vehicles was a small car, which was crushed completely in the impact.
The collision did not stop there. Within seconds, the crash turned into a chain reaction when another vehicle rammed into the wreckage. One of the vehicles reportedly caught fire after the collision, making the situation even more dangerous for those trapped inside.
Superintendent of Police Aparna Rajat Kaushik said police teams and fire brigade personnel rushed to the spot immediately after receiving information about the accident. Local residents also joined the rescue efforts, helping authorities pull victims out of the badly damaged vehicles.
Despite the rapid response, several passengers had already lost their lives by the time help arrived. Officials confirmed that 11 people, including children, were killed in the accident. Some victims were trapped inside the mangled remains of the vehicles, and rescuers had to work carefully to retrieve the bodies.
District officials later identified several victims, many of whom belonged to the same family from Mirzapur’s Jigna area. Among those who died were children as young as eight and nine years old, making the tragedy even more heartbreaking for the community.
Authorities said seven of the deceased were residents of Mirzapur district, while three victims were from Madhya Pradesh and one person was from the neighbouring Sonbhadra district. All the bodies have been sent to the mortuary, and families of the victims have been informed.
Vehicles involved in the accident included two trucks registered in different states, along with cars from Mirzapur and Sonbhadra. The impact was so severe that the smaller car caught between the trucks was completely crushed.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed deep sorrow over the loss of lives. In a message shared on social media, he offered condolences to the bereaved families and announced financial assistance for those affected.
The Prime Minister said that an ex gratia amount of ₹2 lakh from the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund would be given to the families of each person who lost their life in the accident, while those injured would receive ₹50,000.
President Droupadi Murmu also expressed grief over the tragedy and prayed for the speedy recovery of the injured.
Police teams remain stationed at the accident site as authorities work to clear the damaged vehicles and restore normal traffic movement on the affected road. Meanwhile, investigators have begun a detailed probe to determine the exact sequence of events that led to the deadly crash.
Early reports point toward brake failure as the main cause, but officials say a full investigation is underway to confirm what exactly happened on the downhill stretch that turned into the site of such a devastating accident.