Two dead, over 30 injured in vehicle pile-ups due to smog in UP

PTC News Desk: Two bikers died and more than 30 were injured in various multiple accidents early Tuesday as dense pollution covered Noida and other parts of western Uttar Pradesh, reducing visibility.

A dense fog on the Agra-Lucknow Expressway caused several collisions with a broken truck. According to reports, several car occupants were injured and sent to Saifai Medical College, while one was admitted to Shikohabad Hospital.

A crash victim stated, "We couldn't see anything. Our car hit with another vehicle, and then three or four more vehicles crashed into ours."

Due to poor visibility on the Eastern Peripheral Expressway, one truck collided with another, causing a chain reaction. A bus heading from Panipat to Mathura collided with the halted trucks, hurting around a dozen passengers who were taken to the hospital.

A pick-up truck broke down at Nasirpur, causing six vehicles to collide on the Agra-Lucknow Expressway in Firozabad, near Agra. Drivers were unable to see the stranded vehicle owing to fog, resulting in a pile-up of SUVs and other vehicles.

In Bulandshahr, a speeding truck slammed a bike on National Highway-34, killing Mansharam, a Mainpuri resident. Police have detained the truck driver.

Another deadly accident occurred in Badaun, when an unidentified car collided with the bike of Santosh Singh, a teacher on his way to school in Mau, killing him. Ten more were injured in similar situations across the region.

The accidents occur as North India grapples with hazardous air quality, with pollution levels in the 'severe plus' range. The severe fog has triggered a health emergency in the National Capital Region (NCR), with people suffering sore throats, headaches, and breathing difficulties. Authorities have warned people to stay indoors to avoid exposure to the hazardous air.