Five children die in UP train accident

Lucknow: Five school children were killed in Uttar Pradesh's Mau district when a passenger train smashed into their van at an unmanned railway crossing Thursday, police said.

The accident took place near Khutahar village when the Tamsa passenger train rammed into the school van which was carrying around 25 children.

Twenty children were injured and eight out of them who are seriously hurt were rushed to Varanasi for treatment.

Officials said the driver of the school van was listening to songs and had his ear plugs on and could not hear the incoming train.

The school van was completely destroyed in the accident.

Angry parents squatted at the railway crossing for nearly an hour, demanding action against the culprits.