Tragedy strikes Varanasi villages; community in mourning

The tragic death of ten people has left Birbalpur and Ramsinghpur villages in Varanasi in deep sorrow and despair, leaving visitors emotionally choked by the wailing of grieving women.
On Friday, no food was cooked in any of the houses in Birbalpur and Ramsinghpur in the Mirzamurad area, as residents were visibly saddened by the tragedy.
In the wee hours of Friday, at least 10 people were killed and three others were seriously injured when a truck rammed into a tractor trolley on the Prayagraj-Varanasi Highway near Katka village, under the Kachwan Bazar police station of Mirzapur district.
Village head Pramod Kumar Gupta expressed the collective grief, saying, “People are very sad. The deceased were the breadwinners for their families. In this tragic incident, some have lost their sons, others their fathers, and some their husbands. The entire village is deeply pained.”
Among the deceased was Vikas Kumar, who was unmarried. While pursuing his graduation, he also worked as a laborer to support his family. His mother, Anita, was inconsolable in her grief.
Bhanu Pratap, another victim, was the eldest of two brothers and the head of his family, supporting his two younger brothers, wife, and mother.
The deceased tractor driver, Sanohar Kumar, was the only son of his parents. He worked as a tractor driver to support his father, Nandu Lal, who is also a daily wage laborer.
The other victims also earned their livelihoods as daily wage workers.
The village head, who was overwhelmed with emotion, noted that the villagers were in shock and pain, tears streaming down their faces.