Two Victims Untraceable After Yamuna Expressway Horror
Nearly three weeks after a catastrophic multi-vehicle collision on the Yamuna Expressway claimed 19 lives, the fate of two victims remains shrouded in mystery. Despite extensive forensic efforts, the physical remains of a woman passenger and a bus conductor have not been conclusively identified, leaving their families in agonizing limbo.
The Mathura district administration has now formed a five-member committee to investigate the circumstances of their deaths and the failure to recover their remains.
The Fateful Morning of Dense Fog and Fire
The horrific accident unfolded in the early hours of December 16 near Milestone 127 under the jurisdiction of the Baldev police station. A thick blanket of fog led to a chain-reaction collision involving more than a dozen vehicles, including several buses. The impact caused vehicles to catch fire, leading to a scene of devastation.
Tragically, 18 people were burnt alive at the spot, while another victim later succumbed to injuries at SN Medical College in Agra. Approximately 100 individuals sustained injuries in one of the deadliest road accidents on the expressway.
Forensic Puzzle: DNA Matches Fail for Two
With most bodies charred beyond recognition, authorities initiated a meticulous identification process. Police recovered 18 sets of burnt remains and conducted DNA profiling at forensic laboratories in Agra and Lucknow. Samples provided by grieving families were matched against the recovered remains.
While 19 victims were officially identified through this scientific process, the DNA samples of two missing persons did not match any of the remains. The two are identified as Parvati, a resident of Hamirpur, and Bholu, a bus conductor from Dholpur.
Officials revealed that Parvati was traveling by bus to Noida with her two children, Prachi (8) and Sunny (12), to meet her husband when the pile-up occurred. In a heart-wrenching act of bravery, as flames engulfed the bus, Parvati broke a window and pushed both her children to safety.
Recounting the traumatic moments, Prachi told reporters that her mother urged them to get down, saying, "You get down, I am getting down too." The children escaped, but flames trapped Parvati inside. "We kept screaming outside, but couldn't save our mother," Prachi said.
Similarly, Bholu has been missing since the accident. His sister, Sitara, expressed her despair, questioning, "Where else could he have gone?" She confirmed he was on one of the buses that caught fire.
Administration Forms Probe Committee
Faced with unresolved questions, the Mathura administration on Friday constituted a five-member committee to examine the case. The committee is headed by a magistrate-level officer and includes representatives from the police, transport, and health departments. Its mandate is to probe why the remains of Parvati and Bholu could not be recovered or identified.
Mathura District Magistrate CP Singh stated on Saturday, "Based on DNA analysis and scientific examination, the charred bodies recovered were handed over to families. We remain in constant touch with the families of the two missing victims. I am sure things will be clear in the coming days."
The formation of the committee offers a glimmer of hope for the families seeking closure, as authorities strive to solve this tragic puzzle stemming from the Yamuna Expressway disaster.
