Greater Noida : Two people have been arrested after nine passengers died when a sleeper bus caught fire on the Yamuna Expressway near Jewar in Greater Noida late Wednesday night, with the FIR stating that passengers had noticed a burning smell inside the vehicle before the blaze intensified.
The bus was travelling from Kashmiri Gate in New Delhi towards Mahoba when the incident occurred near the 33-kilometre milestone of the Yamuna Expressway around 11.30 pm on September 23. According to the FIR registered at Jewar Police Station, around 30-35 passengers were travelling on the bus. Some passengers reportedly noticed a burning smell coming from the driver's cabin and alerted the driver and conductor. However, the complaint alleges that the two did not stop the bus immediately and continued smoking inside the cabin.
The FIR stated that shortly afterwards, flames suddenly emerged near the driver's seat and rapidly spread through the bus. Passengers raised an alarm and asked the driver to stop the vehicle, following which rescue efforts began.
Speaking to news agency, Noida Chief Fire Officer Pradeep Kumar said that multiple fire and rescue teams were immediately deployed after receiving information about the blaze.
“A bus was going from Kashmiri Gate, New Delhi, to Mahoba at night and caught fire near Jewar. Four fire tenders and rescue teams reached the spot and evacuated 20-25 passengers safely. Nine people died due to suffocation and fire injuries. A case has been registered, and the driver and conductor have been arrested. Further investigation is underway,” Kumar said.
The FIR stated that after the fire was brought under control, nine people were found inside the bus and were later declared dead by doctors at Kailash Hospital in Jewar. The deaths were attributed to burns and suffocation.
Police have registered a case under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including Sections 281, 125(b), 105 and 351(3).
The driver and conductor have been taken into custody, while police are investigating the circumstances that led to the fire and the alleged delay in stopping the bus despite passengers' warnings. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has announced financial assistance of Rs 2 lakh each for the families of those who died and Rs 50,000 each for the injured.