In a significant development following a catastrophic multi-vehicle pile-up on the Yamuna Expressway, authorities have used DNA analysis to identify the majority of the severely burned victims. This process has finally allowed grieving families to claim the remains of their loved ones over a week after the tragedy that claimed 19 lives.
DNA Testing Brings Closure to Grieving Families
Mathura police confirmed on Wednesday that forensic DNA analysis has successfully identified 11 out of the 15 charred bodies recovered from the devastating crash site. The accident occurred on December 16 near Milestone 127 in the Baldev police station area, involving a collision of more than a dozen vehicles that sparked a massive fire and left over 100 people injured.
Mathura SP (Rural) Suresh Chandra Rawat provided details of the complex identification process. He revealed a poignant discovery from the DNA matching: in one instance, a single victim's remains had been inadvertently placed in two separate body bags due to the severity of the burns. "Once identification was confirmed, the remains were handed over to the families," SP Rawat stated. The emotional scenes at the district postmortem house saw relatives, who had waited for days, finally receiving the remains.
Shubham, a resident of Kanpur's Radha Nagar, was among those who received confirmation. He was informed by Mathura police that the DNA analysis had confirmed the body of his 35-year-old elder brother, Anuj Srivastava. He subsequently took the remains back to Kanpur with his parents.
The Aftermath and Ongoing Identification Efforts
The toll from the horrific incident stands at 19. Eighteen people died on the spot, while one more succumbed to injuries during treatment at SN Medical College. Prior to the DNA results, four bodies had been identified through other means. Samples from relatives of the remaining 15 victims were sent for forensic analysis to facilitate identification.
SP Rawat added that the process is not yet complete. DNA samples corresponding to the remaining unidentified bodies have been sent to Lucknow for further testing as conclusive matches are still pending. "In all other cases, families have received the remains after confirmation," he affirmed.
Police Launch Fog Season Safety Drive
In response to the tragedy and with the fog season approaching, senior police officials have initiated a major road safety review. Additional Director General of Police (ADG) for Agra Zone, Anupam Kulshreshtha, chaired a high-level coordination meeting on Wednesday to strengthen preventive measures.
A concerted action plan has been finalized, focusing on three key areas: coordinated enforcement, improved traffic management, and a strengthened emergency response mechanism along vulnerable highway stretches. Officials stated that a primary focus of the meeting was the identification and rectification of accident-prone 'black spots' on highways.
Immediate corrective measures are being planned, which include:
- Installation of better signage and road markings.
- Enhancement of lighting in critical zones.
- Road engineering interventions to improve safety.
This proactive approach aims to prevent similar tragedies during the upcoming winter months when reduced visibility due to fog significantly increases driving risks on high-speed corridors like the Yamuna Expressway.
