LUCKNOW: What began as a road accident quickly turned into a scene of chaos and greed, as villagers looted refined oil from an overturned tanker on the Varanasi-Lucknow National Highway in Amethi district Tuesday morning.The incident occurred near Kathora village under the Kamarouli police station area when a speeding tanker, en route from Sultanpur to Lucknow, lost control and overturned. The driver, identified as Ramraj, son of Ram Milan of Bahadurpur Haidergarh in Barabanki, was grievously injured in the crash.However, what followed shocked many: instead of rushing to help the injured man, scores of villagers descended on the scene—armed not with first-aid but with cans, buckets, and barrels—to loot the spilled refined oil.A viral video captured the frenzy, showing villagers scooping oil from the roadside mud while the tanker lay overturned.

Kamarouli SHO Mukesh Kumar confirmed the police had to intervene to disperse the crowd. “We rushed to the spot, admitted the injured driver to Jagdishpur Trauma Centre, and chased away those looting the oil,” he said.The bizarre mix of tragedy and opportunism has sparked conversation on social media, with the video highlighting both rural apathy and the desperation of the masses, the police said.