Greater Noida (Uttar Pradesh) [India], September 24 (ANI): Three accused persons, including two drivers and a conductor, were sent to jail on Thursday in connection with the tragic bus fire incident on the Yamuna Expressway that claimed nine lives.
The trio was produced before a local court, which ordered them to be sent to jail.
While being escorted by police personnel from the court premises, the accused strongly dismissed allegations levelled by passengers that they were smoking beedi or cigarettes inside the bus or that they ignored complaints of smoke.
"We do not smoke at all. We never smoke beedis or cigarettes. These allegations are completely false," said one of the drivers when asked about claims made by passengers.
When asked whether passengers had alerted them about a burning smell or smoke emanating inside the bus, the driver denied it, saying, "No, that is completely incorrect. Nothing of that sort was told to us."
The second driver also reiterated that they do not consume tobacco products and suspected that an electrical malfunction triggered the inferno. "It seems a short circuit caused the fire," he said.
Nine passengers were killed after a sleeper bus caught fire on the Yamuna Expressway near Jewar in Greater Noida late Wednesday night.
The bus was travelling from Kashmiri Gate in New Delhi to Mahoba when it caught fire near the 33-kilometre milestone of the Yamuna Expressway around 11.30 pm on September 23.
According to the FIR registered at Jewar Police Station, around 30-35 passengers were travelling on the bus. Some passengers reportedly noticed a burning smell coming from the driver's cabin and alerted the driver and conductor. The FIR alleges that they did not stop the bus immediately and continued smoking inside the cabin.
The fire subsequently spread rapidly through the vehicle, trapping several passengers inside. (ANI)
Yamuna Expressway bus fire: 3 accused sent to jail; drivers deny smoking allegations
