Lucknow:

Five doctors were killed and one was critically injured when a Scorpio SUV they were travelling in crashed into a truck on the Agra-Lucknow expressway early today. The doctors, who were postgraduate trainees with the Uttar Pradesh University of Medical Sciences in Saifai, were returning from a wedding function in Lucknow when the accident took place.

Around 3.30 am today, the Scorpio SUV they were travelling in lost control, broke through the divider and crashed into a truck coming from the opposite side. According to reports, the SUV’s driver fell asleep at the wheel, leading to the deadly crash.

The doctors were rushed to hospital after the accident and five of them were declared dead. One has suffered serious head injuries and is under treatment.

The victims were identified as Dr Aniruddh Verma, Dr Santosh Kumar Maurya, Dr Jaiveer Singh, Dr Arun Kumar and Dr Nardev.

Priyanka Bajpai, Circle Officer, Tirwa said, “Around 3.30 am today, a Scorpio SUV from Lucknow towards Agra lost its balance, broke through the divider and entered the parallel lane. It crashed into a truck coming from the opposite side. Five people in the Scorpio have died and one is under treatment. All of them were doctors or doctors or lab technicians in the Saifai hospital. We have informed the family members and further probe is on.”

Visuals from the spot showed heavily mangled remains of the car, pointing to the intensity of the crash.