AGRA: The death toll in the devastating multi-vehicle collision on the Yamuna Expressway in Mathura has risen to 13, officials told news agency ANI on Tuesday, as rescue and relief operations continue.
The tragic accident, which involved seven buses and three cars, left several victims charred to death after some of the buses caught fire. Among the deceased, one each was identified from Prayagraj, Gonda, and Azamgarh, while efforts are underway to identify the remaining victims.
District authorities confirmed that all 60 injured passengers are receiving treatment in various hospitals, with doctors attending to burn injuries and trauma sustained in the crash.
Mathura: Injured passengers receive treatment at a hospital after a fog-hit pile-up involving buses and cars sparked fires on the Yamuna Expressway, in Mathura. (PTI Photo)
In the wake of the tragedy, Mathura District Magistrate Chandra Prakash Singh ordered a magisterial inquiry into the accident, with the Additional District Magistrate (Finance and Revenue) tasked to submit a report on the causes and recommend measures to prevent similar incidents in the future.
Both the state and central governments have taken swift notice of the calamity.
Chief minister Yogi Adityanath announced assistance of Rs 2 lakh for the families of each deceased, while Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his condolences via a tweet and announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh from the PMNRF for the next of kin of each deceased and Rs 50,000 for the injured.
The PM said, “The loss of lives due to a mishap on the Yamuna Expressway in Mathura, Uttar Pradesh, is extremely painful. My thoughts are with those who have lost their loved ones. I pray for the speedy recovery of those injured.”
Police have begun registering an FIR in connection with the accident, and authorities are examining CCTV footage and vehicle records to determine the cause. The horrific incident has sparked renewed concerns over road safety on high-speed expressways and the need for stricter traffic regulation and monitoring.
The accident occurred around 4.30 am on the Agra–Noida stretch of the Yamuna Expressway, near Milestone 127, under the jurisdiction of Baldeo police station in Mathura district. Police said heavy fog and low visibility led to the pile-up involving multiple vehicles.
Of the injured, all were rushed to nearby hospitals for primary treatment. Police said none of the injured is in critical condition.
Speaking about the incident, SSP Mathura Shlok Kumar said the crash was triggered by poor visibility caused by dense fog. “Around 4.30 am, approximately seven buses and three small vehicles collided with each other due to low visibility. The vehicles caught fire after the collision. Local administration and emergency teams reached the spot immediately,” he said.
He added that rescue operations are nearly complete. “So far, four deaths have been confirmed. Around 25 people have been admitted to hospital and none of them is serious. They are being provided the best possible treatment. The expressway was completely blocked, so traffic has been diverted from behind. The debris has now been removed and passengers have been sent to their destinations using government vehicles,” the SSP said.
SP Mathura Rural Suresh Chandra Rawat said three cars first collided with each other, following which seven buses — including one roadways bus and six sleeper buses — rammed into them.
“All the buses caught fire. Eleven fire tenders are at the spot and the fire has now been brought under control. Four dead bodies have been recovered so far. Rescue work is underway,” he said.
The fatal crash on the Delhi–Agra Expressway comes a day after dense fog triggered multiple pile-ups across NCR expressways, leaving at least six people dead and several injured.
The first major accident occurred near Raniyala Patakpur village in Nuh district, where at least 20 vehicles, including two trucks, were involved in a chain collision on the Delhi–Mumbai Expressway. Two people — CISF inspector Harish Kumar (38) from Alwar and Khalil (45) from Jaipur — were killed, while five others were injured.
Another pile-up involving seven to eight vehicles was reported near Banarsi village on the same expressway, though no injuries were recorded. A separate accident on Delhi–Alwar Road near Ghaseda village involved a Haryana Roadways bus and a tractor, causing damage but no casualties.
In Faridabad, a Ford Endeavour rammed into a stationary truck near Kail village on the Delhi–Mumbai Expressway, killing two men from Jaipur. A third occupant later succumbed to injuries during treatment.
On the other side of NCR, two pile-ups involving around 20 vehicles were reported on the Eastern Peripheral Expressway near Attai village in Noida, leaving a 24-year-old truck driver dead and 13 others injured, police said.
Traffic police across NCR said dense fog and near-zero visibility were the common factors in all the crashes and urged motorists to slow down, maintain lane discipline and avoid stopping on expressways during foggy conditions.