13 Killed in Yamuna Expressway Pile-Up Amid Dense Fog
Seven buses, three cars collide near Mathura; CM Yogi announces compensation
- 13 people killed, several injured in multi-vehicle crash on Yamuna Expressway
- Accident occurred amid dense fog with near-zero visibility
- Fire broke out after collision involving buses and cars
- CM Yogi announces ₹2 lakh ex-gratia for deceased kin
GG News Bureau
Mathura, 16th Dec: At least 13 people were killed and several others injured in a major multi-vehicle collision on the Yamuna Expressway in Uttar Pradesh’s Mathura district early Tuesday, police said.
The accident occurred around 4 am on the Agra–Noida stretch of the expressway amid extremely poor visibility caused by dense fog. According to officials, at least seven buses and three cars were involved in the collision, which was followed by a fire that engulfed several vehicles.
District Magistrate Chandra Prakash Singh said the incident took place near milestone 127 under the Baldev police station limits. Fire and emergency services rushed to the spot, deploying 11 fire tenders to control the blaze and rescue passengers trapped inside the vehicles.
Senior officials, including the District Magistrate and the Senior Superintendent of Police, supervised the rescue operations carried out jointly by teams from the police, fire department, National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) and the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF).
Baldev Police Station SHO Ranjana Sachan said all 13 victims died of burn injuries. Two of the deceased were identified as Akhilendra Pratap Yadav (44), a resident of Prayagraj, and Rampal (75) from Maharajganj district.
Eyewitnesses said the collision was followed by loud explosions, prompting nearby villagers to rush to the scene to assist in rescue efforts. A passenger travelling from Lucknow to Delhi said the bus he was in came to a sudden halt after crossing Agra, following which passengers forcibly opened jammed doors to help women and children escape.
Traffic on the expressway was diverted for several hours as the road remained blocked. Stranded passengers were later transported to their destinations in government vehicles.
The incident comes amid widespread dense fog across Uttar Pradesh and other parts of north India. On Tuesday morning, cities including Agra, Prayagraj, Bareilly and Moradabad recorded near-zero visibility.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath expressed grief over the loss of lives and extended condolences to the bereaved families. In a post on X, he said he had directed district officials to ensure proper treatment for the injured.
According to an official statement, the Chief Minister announced an ex-gratia of ₹2 lakh each to the families of the deceased and ₹50,000 each for those injured.
The state has witnessed a series of fog-related road accidents in recent days. On Monday, six accidents involving 31 vehicles were reported, while on Sunday, 29 vehicles were involved in six accidents that claimed seven lives.
