Daijiworld Media Network - Mathura

Mathura, Dec 16: Several buses caught fire on the Delhi-Agra Expressway in Uttar Pradesh’s Mathura district in the early hours of Tuesday, triggering panic among passengers and disrupting traffic on the busy stretch.

Visuals circulating on social media showed multiple buses engulfed in flames, with thick plumes of smoke billowing into the air. According to initial reports, the incident occurred around 4 am following an accident, after which three to four buses caught fire.

An eyewitness said he was asleep when the accident occurred and claimed that the bus was fully occupied, with all seats filled at the time of the incident.

Police and fire brigade teams rushed to the spot soon after receiving information and launched firefighting and rescue operations. Traffic movement on the expressway was affected for some time as emergency vehicles were deployed and the situation was brought under control.

There was no immediate official confirmation on the exact number of buses involved, the cause of the fire or the precise number of casualties.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath took cognisance of the incident and expressed condolences to the families of those who lost their lives. He directed officials and concerned agencies to expedite relief and rescue operations.

The Chief Minister announced ex gratia assistance of Rs 2 lakh to the families of the deceased and Rs 50,000 to those injured in the incident.