New Delhi, Jul 28 (PTI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday expressed grief at the loss of lives in a road accident in Uttar Pradesh's Barabanki district and extended his condolences to the bereaved families.

In a tweet, Modi said he has also spoken to Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and arrangements are being made for the proper treatment of the injured.

At least 18 people were killed and 25 injured after a truck hit a double-decker bus in Barabanki late on Tuesday night, police said.

The axle of the bus had broken down and it was parked on the road. Some passengers were standing outside the bus while others were sitting inside at the time of the incident, they said.

Modi also announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh each from the Prime Minister's National Relief Fund for the next of kin of the deceased. The injured would be given Rs 50,000 each.

The rescue operation is currently underway at the accident site, the police said.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)