New Delhi: Nine passengers were killed after a private sleeper bus caught fire near the 33 kilometers milestone of the Yamuna Expressway in Jewar late on Wednesday, with police later arresting the driver and conductor. Around 20 to 25 passengers were rescued and several injured people were taken to hospital as police registered a case and began investigating the blaze.
The Bihar registered bus, BR-32PA-8647, was travelling from Kashmiri Gate in New Delhi towards Mahoba when the fire broke out around 11.30pm on Wednesday. The FIR registered at Jewar police station says about 30 to 35 passengers were aboard; survivors said many were asleep when smoke and flames spread through the vehicle, forcing some to escape through windows.
The Times of India reported, citing the FIR, that passengers noticed a burning smell coming from the driver’s cabin and alerted the driver and conductor, asking them to stop and check its source. The FIR alleges that the two did not stop immediately, continued smoking in the cabin and dismissed the concern by saying such a smell was common in the bus.
A short while later, flames appeared near the driver’s seat and passengers again asked the driver to stop, but the complaint alleges that he did not act immediately. As smoke and flames spread through the vehicle, several passengers managed to escape while others were trapped inside.
The Gautam Buddh Nagar chief fire officer, Pradeep Kumar, told reporters that the driver and conductor had been arrested after a case was registered in connection with the fire. Police registered the case under sections 281, 125(b), 105 and 351(3) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). The allegations remain under investigation, and no finding of criminal responsibility has been made.
Kumar said four fire tenders and rescue teams reached the spot after receiving the alert and evacuated 20 to 25 passengers. Nine people were found inside the bus after the fire was brought under control and were later declared dead at Kailash hospital in Jewar; police said the victims died from burns and suffocation.
Investigators are also examining a possible mechanical cause. A preliminary police assessment indicated that a spark or blast in the bus’s airconditioning system may have ignited engine lubricating oil, while fire officials said the blaze originated in the engine area. The exact cause has not been conclusively established.
The FIR identifies the vehicle as a Raj Kalpana Travels bus. Police are examining survivor statements, the vehicle and other evidence, including whether required safety precautions were followed. Police were still working to establish the identities of all nine deceased in the latest update.
The prime minister, Narendra Modi, announced ₹2 lakh from the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund (PMNRF) for the next of kin of each person killed and ₹50,000 for each injured passenger, while expressing condolences to the bereaved families and wishing the injured a speedy recovery. The president, Droupadi Murmu, also expressed grief over the deaths.
Separately, the Uttar Pradesh chief minister, Yogi Adityanath, announced assistance of ₹2 lakh for each deceased person’s family and ₹50,000 for each injured passenger, and directed officials to ensure proper treatment and support for the affected families.