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17 killed, over 80 injured as fog triggers pile-up on Yamuna Expressway

SSP Mathura, Shlok Kumar, said, “The accident took place at the Yamuna Expressway Milestone 127 near Baldev Police station area. The reason was low visibility...”

4 min readUpdated: Dec 17, 2025 05:34 PM IST

A bus gutted in the fire following the Yamuna Expressway (PTI)

Seventeen people were killed and 89 injured in a massive vehicle pile-up on the Yamuna Expressway amid dense fog in the early hours of Tuesday, police said. The crash, involving at least 15 vehicles — including eight buses carrying around 400 passengers — sparked a blaze.

“Seventeen people have died — 15 suffered burn injuries while two died of other injuries,” said SHO of Baldev Police Station, Ranjana Sachan.

The victims identified so far are Akhilendra Pratap Yadav (44); a resident of Prayagraj; Rampal (75), a resident of Maharajganj; Sultan Ahmad (62) a resident of Gonda district.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, President Droupadi Murmu, Vice-President C P Radhakrishnan and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath expressed grief at the loss of lives.

Speaking to The Indian Express, Superintendent of Police, Mathura (Rural), Suresh Chandra Rawat said the accident took place because of poor visibility due to fog. “… Several bodies have been charred and we are trying to identify them…,” he added.

SHO Sachan told The Indian Express that the incident occurred between 3.30 am and 4 am at Milestone 127 on the Expressway near Baldev Police station area in Mathura.

The SHO said there were no CCTV cameras in the area but, prima facie, it appears that an Ertiga car collided with a Brezza car, which were petrol and diesel vehicles respectively, and caught fire. Following this, other vehicles, including eight buses — a government vehicle and seven private ones — heading to Noida collided with the cars and caught fire.

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According to officials, 11 fire tenders were rushed to the spot to douse the blaze and conduct a rescue operation that lasted nearly six hours. Visuals from the spot showed charred buses and cars, reduced to mangled shells. Cranes were called in to remove them from the road.

SSP Mathura, Shlok Kumar, said, “The accident took place at the Yamuna Expressway Milestone 127. The reason was low visibility…”

District Magistrate Chandra Prakash Singh ordered a four-member team to investigate the road tragedy and submit a report in two days. Singh has also written to the Yamuna Authority to explain why the accident took place.

PM Modi, in a post shared by the PMO India X handle, 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.”

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The PMO, in the post, said an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh from the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund will be given to the next of kin of each deceased and Rs 50,000 would be given to each injured.

In a social media post, President Murmu extended her condolences to all the bereaved families and prayed for the swift recovery of those injured.

CM Adityanath, in a post on X in Hindi, expressed his condolences to the kin of the deceased. “The loss of life in the road accident on the Yamuna Expressway in Mathura district is extremely tragic and heartbreaking. My deepest condolences are with the bereaved families… I have instructed the district administration officials to ensure proper treatment for the injured.”

He directing that the families of those who lost their lives in the accident be provided immediate financial aid of Rs 2 lakh each, while the injured be given assistance of Rs 50,000 each.

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Passersby, meanwhile, said they saw people trying to escape from the burning buses.

Bhagwan Das, a passerby, said it felt like a bomb blast. “We thought a bomb had exploded. I saw people breaking windows of buses to get out,” he said.

Guljari Lal, a resident of Hamirpur, was making rounds of hospitals looking for his sister-in-law, Parvati, 45. “She was travelling to Delhi with her children. They boarded the bus around 6 pm on Monday. When the accident happened, [the children told me] she broke the window pane of the bus and pushed the children outside but got stuck inside. I have been looking around for her.”

Neetika Jha

Neetika Jha is a Correspondent with The Indian Express, based in the Noida bureau. She primarily covers crime, health, and environmental issues, as well as human-interest features across Noida, Ghaziabad, and Western Uttar Pradesh. Professional Profile Education: She is an alumna of the Asian College of Journalism (ACJ), Chennai. Core Beat: Her work focuses on the administrative and social challenges of the NCR's satellite cities. She is known for her detailed reporting on civic infrastructure (like the Noida International Airport), environmental violations, and high-profile criminal investigations. Personal Interests: Outside of reporting, she is an avid reader of fiction (citing The Thursday Murder Club and Yellowface as recent favorites) and a gardening enthusiast. Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) Neetika’s recent reportage has been dominated by winter-related crises in the NCR and significant criminal legalities: 1. Environment & Public Safety "Greater Noida Authority slaps fines on firms for violating GRAP IV norms" (Dec 21, 2025): Reporting on heavy penalties imposed on major developers like NBCC for flouting anti-pollution construction bans. "Fatal pile-up on Yamuna Expressway: Fog, high speed emerge as key safety risks" (Dec 17, 2025): A major report on a 15-vehicle collision caused by dense fog that killed 17 people. "At Chilla, Kalindi, DND, many fined Rs 20,000 for non-compliance to Delhi's BS-VI rule" (Dec 19, 2025): On-the-ground reporting from the borders where Noida police penalize non-compliant vehicles entering the capital. "Driving in Noida amid fog? New speed limits in effect till Feb 15" (Dec 13, 2025): Detailing the seasonal traffic restrictions aimed at preventing highway accidents. 2. Crime & Legal Developments "'Have you ever heard of a murder case being withdrawn?': Court in Akhlaq lynching case" (Dec 12, 2025): Covering a critical courtroom hearing where the court questioned the UP government's petition to withdraw charges against the accused. "After losing money in stock market, bank employee in Ghaziabad withdraws Rs 64 lakh from customers' accounts" (Dec 14, 2025): An investigative piece on internal bank fraud and the risks of modern digital embezzlement. "Woman shot dead by partner in Noida: Three days on, accused still on the run" (Dec 2, 2025): Tracking a high-profile domestic violence and murder case in Central Noida. 3. Human Interest & Features "'Had tears in my eyes': Army men walk bride down the aisle 20 years after father died in terror attack" (Dec 2, 2025): A moving story about soldiers from a Punjab Grenadiers unit fulfilling a father's duty for his daughter. "How a Zepto delivery man heard a cry — and saved two kids dumped in Noida drain" (Dec 2025): A viral human-interest story highlighting individual heroism in the city. Signature Style Neetika is recognized for her meticulous follow-up on local tragedies. Whether it is a massive pile-up on the Yamuna Expressway or the ongoing construction of the Jewar (Noida) Airport, she focuses on systemic lapses and the safety of commuters. Her crime reporting often explores the psychological motives behind "crimes of passion" and the rising trend of financial cyber-fraud in the Ghaziabad-Noida belt. ... Read More

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