At least 18 migrant workers died on Wednesday after a truck crashed into their bus in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. The double-decker bus with 140 laborers on board was on its way from Punjab's Ludhiana to Bihar. It was parked on the roadside after breaking down when the truck rammed into it and left the 18 standing near the vehicle dead. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his condolences over the loss of lives and announced 200,000 (nearly 2,690) Indian rupees each compensation for the families of those killed in the accident and 50,000 Indian rupees (nearly $672) each for the kin of the injured. "PM @narendramodi announced an ex-gratia of Rs2 lakh each from Prime Minister's National Relief Fund (PMNRF) for the next of kin of those who lost their lives in the tragic accident in Barabanki. The injured would be given Rs. 50,000 each," the Prime Minister's Office tweeted. Officials said Modi also spoke to chief minister Yogi Adityanath about the accident. "The chief minister has also expressed his condolences and directed the DM (district magistrate and) SP (superintendent of police) Barabanki to provide the best medical care to the injured and to make arrangements to take the passengers to their destinations," said additional home secretary Awanish Awasthi. "The deaths of people in a road accident in Ram Sanehi Ghat area of district Barabanki is very sad. My condolences are with the bereaved families. Praying to Lord Shri Ram to grant the departed souls a place at his feet and speedy recovery to the injured," Adityanath tweeted in Hindi.
