Kaushambi:- Eight people died in a tragic road accident on the Kanpur-Prayagraj highway on Friday. 17 devotees were injured in the accident. The accident took place near Dorma petrol pump within the limits of Saini police station when a speeding pickup truck, losing control, collided with a trailer parked on the roadside. The collision was so severe that the pickup truck was completely destroyed, and panic spread among the passengers. The deceased include three children, three women and two men.
Reports indicate that around 25 people, including women and children, were travelling in the pickup truck. All the passengers are said to be residents of Badokhar village in Malwan area of ??Fatehpur district. They had gone to Prayagraj to perform the *Mundan* (first haircut) ceremony of a child on the occasion of Ram Navami. After taking a holy dip in the Sangam and completing the *Mundan* rituals, they were returning to Fatehpur in a pickup truck when the accident occurred in the Saini area. The incident took place around 3:45 pm.
The accident created chaos at the scene. Hearing the cries of the injured on the road, local residents rushed to help and informed the police. On receiving information, teams from the police and the health department reached the spot. Four ambulances were deployed to take the injured to the hospital. Seven people died while being taken to the hospital, while the rest are undergoing treatment. The accident caused traffic jam on the highway for some time. The police have started an investigation into the matter.