Kanpur: Two sleeper buses met with accidents within about 10 minutes of each other on the Agra-Lucknow Expressway in Unnao early Sunday, injuring 34 passengers. Both accidents were attributed to the drivers dozing off. One bus rammed into an unidentified truck, while the other overturned.The first accident took place around 4:40 am at kilometre 231 in the Bangarmau police station area. The driver of a sleeper bus travelling from Delhi to Gonda fell asleep, causing it to ram into a truck ahead. The bus’s front was badly damaged and around eight passengers were injured. Police sent them to CHC Bangarmau.Around 10 minutes later, at 4:50 am, another sleeper bus, travelling from Delhi to Gorakhpur, overturned at kilometre 246 in the Behata Mujawar police station area after its driver fell asleep. About 26 passengers were injured. Police and expressway personnel rescued passengers trapped inside and sent the injured to CHC Bangarmau. Some were referred to Lucknow.The damaged buses were removed and traffic was restored. Police said most passengers were asleep when the accidents occurred.CO Harsh Modi said police reached both spots soon after receiving information and ensured the injured were taken to hospital. He said necessary action was being taken.UPEIDA personnel, inspector Kotwali Akhilesh Chandra Pandey and SDM Brijmohan Shukla also reached the spot and joined the rescue operation.
