At least 22 people died and several others were injured after a bus they were travelling in collided with a truck in northern Indian State of Uttar Pradesh in the wee hours of Monday, BBC reported.

The incident site is 251 km (155 miles) from Lucknow.

The bus caught fire moments after colliding with truck giving no time for passengers to evacuate, a senior official said.

The identities of the deceased are yet to be established.

The chief spokesman of the Uttar Pradesh police, Rahul Srivastav, said the bus was carrying 41 passengers, and that those who were injured had been rushed to a hospital.

Most of the injured are said to be in critical condition.

India has the world's highest number of road deaths, with an accident taking place every four minutes.

Most crashes are blamed on reckless driving, poorly maintained roads and ageing vehicles.