The passengers onboard the van got trapped and were rescued by the locals. (Representational)
Nine persons were killed and seven others injured in the Lilapur area here on Monday afternoon when a gas tanker overturned and hit the tempo van they were travelling in, police said.
The accident took place on the Lucknow-Varanasi highway here, about 15 km away from the district headquarters, when the gas tanker lost control and overturned, colliding with the van, Additional Superintendent of Police (West) Rohit Mishra said.
The passengers onboard the van got trapped and were rescued by the locals. A police team reached the spot and rushed the victims to the Pratapgarh Medical College hospital where four women and five men were declared brought dead, Mishra said.
Owing to their critical condition, the other seven injured were referred to Prayagraj SRN Hospital, he added.
Meanwhile, the police are trying to identify the deceased persons and their bodies have been sent for post-mortem, the SP said, adding that a probe is underway.
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