Sitapur (Uttar Pradesh) [India], November 7 : Five persons were killed, and several others sustained injuries in a fatal road accident involving a tractor-trolley in Uttar Pradesh's Sitapur district, a senior police official said here on Saturday.
The injured were immediately evacuated and shifted to a nearby medical facility, where they are currently undergoing treatment.
Inspector General of Police (IG), Lucknow Range, Kiran S., stated that prima facie, overspeeding appears to be the cause, while noting that passengers were illegally being ferried in a commercial/agricultural vehicle.
"A tragic incident has occurred, resulting in five deaths. Several others have been injured and are currently undergoing treatment. Such incidents should not happen. Strict instructions have already been issued, and further directions will follow to ensure accountability," IG Kiran S. told reporters.
Calling for strict enforcement of traffic safety laws, the senior officer stressed coordinated action between law enforcement and transport authorities to curb the unauthorised use of tractor-trolleys for passenger transit.
"The Motor Vehicles Act and related traffic regulations clearly specify the conditions under which vehicles can be operated. The Transport Department and the Police Department need to work together on this. Further instructions will be issued to prevent such accidents," he said.
"People were travelling in a tractor-trolley, which should not happen. As far as the tractor is concerned, overspeeding may have caused the incident. This will be examined during the investigation," the IG added.
A detailed investigation into the crash is currently underway.