A joyous wedding procession turned into a tragedy when a speeding Mahindra Bolero SUV carrying a groom and his family crashed into the boundary wall of Janata Inter College in Sambhal district, killing eight people, including three children, and injuring two others, police said on Saturday.

The accident occurred around 6:30 AM on Friday in Junawai village on the Meerut-Badaun highway, as the group traveled from Har Govindpur to Sirtoul in Budaun for the wedding of Suraj Pal, 24. Additional Superintendent of Police (South) Anukriti Sharma reported that the vehicle, carrying 10 passengers, lost control at high speed, overturned, and smashed into the college wall, causing severe damage to both the vehicle and the structure.

The deceased were identified as Suraj (the groom), his sister-in-law Asha (26), her daughter Aishwarya (3), Sachin (22), Ganesh (1), Komal (18), Madhu (20), and driver Ravi (28). Five died on the spot, while three succumbed during treatment in Aligarh. The two injured, Deva (24) and Himanshi (2), are under care in Aligarh, with Deva in critical condition and Himanshi stable.

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Eyewitnesses described the SUV “flying” before it flipped and crashed, necessitating JCB machines to extract victims from the wreckage. Police suspect rash driving as the primary cause, though a forensic investigation is underway to rule out mechanical failure.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath expressed condolences and directed the district administration to ensure immediate medical care for the injured. Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced an ex-gratia payment of ₹2 lakh for the kin of each deceased and ₹50,000 for the injured from the PM’s National Relief Fund.

The incident has sparked calls for stricter traffic enforcement, with locals and officials mourning the devastating loss.

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