Mathura (Uttar Pradesh): The death toll in the massive multi-vehicle collision on the Yamuna Expressway in Mathura has climbed to 13, district authorities confirmed on Tuesday, as rescue and identification efforts continued following the devastating accident.
Mathura District Magistrate Chandra Prakash Singh said the mishap occurred at Milestone 127 under the Baldev police station limits amid dense fog that severely reduced visibility. According to officials, at least 11 vehicles were involved in the collision, triggering a massive fire that engulfed 10 of them.
Among those killed, one victim each has been identified from Prayagraj, Gonda and Azamgarh, while efforts are underway to establish the identities of the remaining deceased. Around 60 injured passengers are undergoing treatment at different hospitals in the district.
The District Magistrate said a magisterial inquiry has been ordered into the incident to ascertain the cause of the accident and suggest measures to prevent similar tragedies in the future. The Additional District Magistrate (Finance and Revenue) has been tasked with submitting the inquiry report. Police are also in the process of registering an FIR in connection with the crash.
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has taken cognisance of the incident and announced financial assistance of ₹2 lakh each for the families of the deceased.
Fire officials said at least 14 fire tenders were pressed into service to control the blaze, which took several hours to extinguish. Traffic on the Agra–Noida stretch of the Yamuna Expressway was restored after a nearly four-hour-long rescue and clearance operation.
Mathura Chief Medical Officer Dr Radha Vallabh Todau said medical teams have been fully deployed and post-mortem examinations are underway. He added that DNA sampling will be used to identify the victims, as the exact number of bodies is yet to be confirmed.
“All bodies will be identified through DNA samples. At present, the official panchnama has not been completed, so the final count of bodies is still unclear,” the CMO said, assuring that the entire medical infrastructure has been mobilised to handle the situation.
Police officials said preliminary findings indicate that low visibility due to dense fog was a major factor behind the tragic collision.
