LUCKNOW, Sept. 12 -- A massive rescue operation was put in place after a UPSRTC bus plunged nearly 45 feet from a bridge on Hardoi Road under Kakori police station limits on Thursday. Teams from fire stations of Chowk, Malihabad and Hazratganj, along with a multi-disaster rescue vehicle, rushed to the site within minutes of the alert. Firefighters smashed windows and cut through twisted metal to free trapped passengers, while ambulances kept ferrying the injured to the Trauma Centre and CHC Malihabad. Police cordoned off the area to control the crowd as doctors battled to stabilise several victims in critical condition. Despite the swift response, the scale of devastation was grim. The Sandila depot bus (UP-78 LN 1340) had collided with a tractor before plunging off the bridge, leaving the vehicle mangled beyond recognition. Dozens of passengers were trapped-some crying for help, others unconscious-as chaos unfolded. Locals stood in shock as blood-soaked victims were stretchered out. "It was a race against time to save lives," said a senior officer at the site. By late evening, officials confirmed several passengers had been rescued, though the full extent of casualties was still being assessed. htc...