NEW DELHI: A tragic road accident in the early hours of Friday claimed the lives of five people and left four others critically injured when an uncontrolled SUV crashed into a roadside tree along the Etawah-Agra highway in Uttar Pradesh.
The victims were returning from a pilgrimage to the famous Kela Devi temple in Rajasthan when the accident occurred near Pai village in the Chitrahat police station area, officials said.
According to initial reports from the local police, the vehicle was carrying a family of devotees late at night when it suddenly lost control and collided with a tree. The impact was so severe that the front section of the vehicle was heavily damaged, and glass fragments were found scattered across the road.
Senior local police officers told reporters that the victims included three men, one woman and a three‑year‑old girl. The deceased were identified as 70‑year‑old Kanta Prasad, his 35-year‑old son Devendra, 30‑year‑old daughter‑in‑law Seema, their 3‑year‑old granddaughter Aradhya and 20‑year‑old driver Rishi. The group had completed their 'darshan' at the sacred Kela Devi shrine before embarking on the journey back home to Etawah.