Ten people were killed and three injured when a truck collided with a tractor trolley carrying labourers in Mirzapur district of Uttar Pradesh early on Friday, the police said.
The incident took place around 1 am on GT Road between Kachhawan and Mirzamurad areas on the Mirzapur-Varanasi border, superintendent of police (Mirzapur) Abhinandan said.
"The tractor trolley, carrying 13 labourers who were returning from construction work in Bhadohi district, was hit from behind by the truck that had gone out of the driver's control," the SP said.
"Of the 13 injured, 10 died while the three others were taken to the hospital at the IIT-BHU, where their condition is stated to be normal," the officer said.
President Droupadi Murmu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath condoled the loss of lives in the accident.
"The news of the death of several people in a road accident in Mirzapur, Uttar Pradesh is extremely painful. In this hour of grief, I express my deepest condolences to the bereaved loved ones and pray for the speedy recovery of those injured," Murmu said in a post in Hindi on X.
Prime Minister Modi also announced a compensation of Rs 2 lakh to each for the kin of the deceased and Rs 50,000 to those injured.
Adityanath also announced a similar compensation for the kin of the deceased.
Meanwhile, BJP officials and public representatives met the victim families and handed over the cheque of the relief amount announced by the UP government to the families of the injured and the deceased.
"The road accident in Mirzapur, Uttar Pradesh is extremely painful. My deepest condolences to the bereaved families of those who lost their lives in this. May God give them strength to bear this pain. Along with this, I wish for the speedy recovery of all the injured," PM Modi said on X.
"Under the supervision of the state government, the local administration is engaged in helping the victims in every way possible," Modi, also the Lok Sabha MP from Varanasi, said.
The prime minister has announced an ex gratia of Rs 2 lakh from PMNRF (PM's National Relief Fund) for the next of kin of each deceased in the road accident in Mirzapur, UP. The injured would be given Rs 50,000, the Prime Minister's Office posted on X.
Adityanath directed the officials of the district administration to ensure proper treatment for those injured, wishing them a speedy recovery.
The police said the bodies have been sent to the mortuary.
A case has been registered at the Kachhawan police station and further legal proceedings are underway, SP Abhinandan added.
Authorities are conducting a thorough investigation into the circumstances leading to the accident, the officer said.
According to the police, those killed were Bhanu Pratap (25), Vikas Kumar (20), Anil Kumar (35), Suraj Kumar (22), Sanohar (25), Rakesh Kumar (25), Prem Kumar (40), Rahul Kumar (26), Nitin Kumar (22), Roshan Kumar (17).
Three injured hospitalised in Varanasi were Akash Kumar (18), Jamuni (26) and Ajay Saroj (50).
All of them were residents of Varanasi district, the police added.
BJP media in-charge of the Kashi region Navratan Rathi issued a statement on Friday evening saying that BJP district president and Member of the Legislative Council Hansraj Vishwakarma, MLC Dharmendra Singh Rai and MLA Sunil Patel consoled the grieving families.
According to Rathi, on behalf of the chief minister, the leaders provided a cheque of Rs 2 lakh each to the deceased's families and a cheque of Rs 50,000 each to the injured.
