4 killed, 3 injured as SUV crashes into trailer truck in Barabanki

Lucknow: Four people were killed, while three others were critically injured when an SUV going from Varanasi to Kainchi Dham in Uttarakhand crashed into a trailer truck on the Lucknow-Sultanpur highway in Barabanki district on Tuesday.

According to police, the SUV was moving at an estimated speed of nearly 100 kmph when it hit the trailer from behind around 3 am. Preliminary investigation suggests that the SUV driver might have dozed off moments before the collision.

Residents rushed to the spot after hearing loud screams and alerted the police. Rescue teams, along with villagers, pulled the trapped occupants out of the mangled SUV and shifted them to a nearby hospital.

Doctors pronounced four of them dead on arrival, while the injured people were taken to King George’s Medical University in Lucknow for advanced treatment.

The deceased were identified as Rahul Kumar, 36, of Chandauli; Rahul Singh alias Tillu, 35, of Ghazipur; Satyam Singh, 38, of Ballia; and Suraj Mishra, 31, of Sultanpur.

The injured people included Pankaj, 34, of Mirzapur; Chandan, 35, and Prashant, 44, both from Ballia.

Investigators said the friends assembled at Satyam Singh’s house in Varanasi before leaving for Kainchi Dham.

According to relatives, Satyam Singh originally hailed from Ballia and ran a hostel in the Pandeypur area of Varanasi, where he lived with his wife, Alankrita, and two children. He was the eldest among three brothers and the primary earning member of the family.

Rahul Kumar of Irstan Bazaar in Chandauli district was a healthcare worker posted at the district hospital. He is survived by his wife, a 4-year-old daughter and a 2-year-old son.

Rahul Singh alias Tillu of Ghazipur was engaged in farming. He was the younger of two brothers.