Unnao expressway crash kills 5, Bihar CM Samrat Choudhary expresses grief
Synopsis
A double-decker AC bus carrying around 30 passengers — including a police escort team from Bihar — overturned on the Lucknow-Agra Expressway at 5 am, killing five and injuring 15. The driver allegedly fell asleep at high speed. Bihar CM Samrat Choudhary expressed grief on X as the state mourned the loss of a serving sub-inspector among the dead.
Key Takeaways
A double-decker AC bus overturned near the 262-km mark of the Lucknow-Agra Expressway in Unnao at approximately 5 am on 26 May .
Five passengers were killed ; around 15 others sustained injuries , including three police personnel .
Identified victims include Ramchandra Ram , a sub-inspector from Siwan Police Lines , and Chhatarpal Singh Tomar , a resident of Gurugram .
The bus was carrying a Siwan police team returning from a court escort in Gurugram on 24 May .
Initial investigations suggest the driver allegedly fell asleep while driving at high speed.
Bihar CM Samrat Choudhary expressed grief on X and prayed for the deceased and injured.
Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary on 26 May expressed deep anguish over a fatal road accident on the Lucknow-Agra Expressway in Unnao, Uttar Pradesh, in which five people were killed and around 15 others injured, several of them from Bihar. The crash, which occurred in the early hours of Tuesday, involved a double-decker AC bus that overturned near the 262-kilometre milestone of the expressway.
What Happened on the Expressway
The accident took place at approximately 5 am near the 262-km mark of the Lucknow-Agra Expressway, under the jurisdiction of Auras Police Station. According to preliminary reports, the double-decker AC bus lost control, struck the central divider, overturned, and came to rest dangerously hanging over the roadside railing. Around 30 passengers were on board at the time.
Eyewitnesses said several passengers were flung out of the bus windows during the impact and fell onto the expressway. Initial police investigations suggest the driver allegedly fell asleep at the wheel while travelling at high speed — a pattern distressingly common on India's high-speed expressway corridors.
Who Were the Victims
Among the confirmed dead were Ramchandra Ram, a 59-year-old sub-inspector posted with the Siwan Police Lines, and Chhatarpal Singh Tomar, a 59-year-old resident of Gurugram. The identities of the three other deceased passengers are yet to be confirmed, according to authorities.
Notably, a police team from Siwan had escorted Chhatarpal Singh Tomar to a court hearing in Gurugram on 24 May and was returning to Bihar when the crash occurred. Three police personnel are among the approximately 15 injured.
Rescue and Medical Response
Police personnel, ambulances, and teams from the Uttar Pradesh Expressways Industrial Development Authority (UPEIDA) reached the site shortly after the accident and launched rescue operations. Critically injured passengers were referred to the Lucknow Trauma Centre, while others are being treated at the district hospital.
Bihar CM's Response
Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary described the incident as 'deeply distressing and heart-wrenching' in a post on social media platform X. He paid tribute to the deceased and extended condolences to the bereaved families. 'I pray for peace for the departed souls and wish a speedy recovery for those injured in the crash,' he said.
The accident adds to a growing toll of expressway fatalities in India, where driver fatigue on overnight routes remains a persistent and inadequately addressed hazard. Authorities are expected to probe the bus operator's compliance with mandatory rest regulations for drivers.
Point of View
Yet mandatory rest regulations for commercial bus operators are routinely flouted with minimal consequence. The presence of a police escort team among the casualties underscores that no passenger category is insulated from this systemic failure. The real question is not whether the driver fell asleep — that appears likely — but whether the bus operator will face meaningful accountability, or whether this joins the long list of fatal expressway crashes that generate condolences and no structural change.
NationPress
22 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What happened in the Unnao expressway accident on 26 May 2025?
A double-decker AC bus carrying around 30 passengers lost control, struck the central divider, and overturned near the 262-km mark of the Lucknow-Agra Expressway in Unnao at approximately 5 am on 26 May. Five people were killed and around 15 others were injured. Initial investigations suggest the driver allegedly fell asleep at high speed.
Who were the identified victims of the Unnao bus crash?
Two victims have been identified: Ramchandra Ram, a 59-year-old sub-inspector from Siwan Police Lines, and Chhatarpal Singh Tomar, a 59-year-old resident of Gurugram. The identities of the three other deceased passengers are yet to be confirmed by authorities.
Why was a Bihar police team on the bus?
A police team from Siwan, Bihar, had escorted prisoner Chhatarpal Singh Tomar to a court hearing in Gurugram on 24 May and was returning to Bihar when the accident occurred. Three police personnel are among the injured.
What was Bihar CM Samrat Choudhary's reaction?
Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary posted his condolences on social media platform X, describing the incident as 'deeply distressing and heart-wrenching.' He paid tribute to the deceased and said, 'I pray for peace for the departed souls and wish a speedy recovery for those injured in the crash.'
Where are the injured being treated?
Critically injured passengers were referred to the Lucknow Trauma Centre. Others are currently being treated at the district hospital in Unnao. Rescue operations were conducted by police, ambulances, and teams from the Uttar Pradesh Expressways Industrial Development Authority.
