20 charred to death as bus bursts into flames after accident in India’s UP

At least 20 passengers were charred to death and 21 others injured after a bus burst into flames at the GT Road in  Uttar Pradesh's Kannauj of India on Friday night. The double-decker bus caught fire after a head-on collision with a truck on the highway. The accident took place around 09:30 pm near Chiloi village. "Some 20 people are feared to have died in the incident while 21 have been rushed to a hospital," Kannauj Superintendent of Police Amrendra Prasad Singh told PTI.
Earlier, Kannauj District Magistrate Ravindra Kumar, who is also on the spot, had told India Today Tv that around 43 passengers were suspected to be onboard when the accident took place. "We are trying to ascertain the number of passengers. So far we know at least 26 passengers had boarded the bus from Gursahaiganj, while 17 others started their journies from Chhibramau." The bus was going to Jaipur from Gursahaiganj in Kannauj.
CM Yogi Adityanath, who earlier directed the district administration to take stock of the situation at the earliest.
"It isn't yet clear how many lives were claimed in the incident.” the chief minister said.
"Instructions have been given to provide all help to the injured. The state government has decided to provide ex-gratia of Rs 2 Lakh each to families of the deceased and Rs 50,000 each as compensation to the injured," he said.
According to initial ground reports, the passengers were unable to escape when the bus caught fire as it was sleeper bus and passengers were asleep with doors and windows shut. Unconfirmed reports have said that several passengers stuck in bus may have died, but officials have not confirmed any casualty yet.