At least four people died and around 25 others were injured in a major accident on the Delhi-Agra expressway in northern India's Uttar Pradesh state early on Tuesday after seven buses and several cars collided in dense fog and low visibility conditions, triggering a multi-vehicle pile-up, Indian media reported.
The accident took place in the district of Mathura and involved multiple buses and cars on the high-speed Yamuna Expressway linking capital Delhi with the city of Agra. According to preliminary reports, seven buses and several cars collided amid extremely poor visibility, causing several vehicles to catch fire.
Emergency responders, including fire-service crews and ambulances, were dispatched to the scene. The injured were taken to nearby medical facilities for treatment.
Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Shlok Kumar confirmed the details of the accident, and said that search and rescue operations were close to being completed, and efforts were underway to clear the blocked highway and transport stranded passengers.
Chandra Prakash Singh, the district magistrate of Mathura, called the incident "very unfortunate" and provided an update on the relief efforts. He emphasised that while the cause of the multi-vehicle pile-up, worsened by dense fog, would be investigated later, the current priority remains focused on relief work and ensuring the injured receive the best possible treatment.
Dense fog and low visibility are common in parts of north India during this season, and officials have previously warned motorists to reduce speed and use fog lights when travelling on major highways.
