MATHURA: At least 13 people were burnt to death and several others injured after multiple vehicles collided and caught fire on the Yamuna Expressway in Mathura amid dense fog on Tuesday, police said.
The accident took place around 4.30 am when eight buses and three smaller vehicles rammed into each other near the Baldev police station area due to poor visibility.
Following the collision, several vehicles caught fire, trapping passengers inside. Among those killed was a BJP leader, officials said.
Police said the death toll could rise further. While 43 people were officially reported injured, media reports put the number of injured at around 70. Several victims were rushed to nearby hospitals for treatment.
Due to the severity of the fire, many bodies were charred beyond recognition. Police said the unidentified victims would be identified through DNA testing and investigation teams have collected body remains for the process.
Mathura Senior Superintendent of Police Shlok Kumar said two of the deceased were identified as 44-year-old Akhilendra Pratap Yadav from Prayagraj and 75-year-old Rampal from Maharajganj district. Baldev police station SHO Ranjana Sachan said a third victim was later identified as 62-year-old Sultan Ahmed, a resident of Gonda district, by the Chief Medical Officer of Vrindavan.
“All 13 victims died due to severe burn injuries,” Sachan said. Further investigation into the incident is underway.
