BJP Leader's Son Stays Back To Save Mother In Noida Bus Fire. Both Die

A woman and her son died after the bus they were travelling in caught fire on Yamuna Expressway, in an incident where passengers say they had warned the driver about a burning smell minutes before flames broke out.

Sunita and Shashank, wife and son of Mahoba BJP District Treasurer Neeraj Gupta, were among those who died in the fire. The family lived in the Rajmandir area of Charkhari town.

Sunita had difficulty walking and was seated on the last seat of the bus when the fire broke out. When the driver told passengers to get off, Shashank tried to help his mother out of the vehicle, but her mobility issues made it difficult to move her in time. Both mother and son collapsed from the smoke and suffered severe burns.

Their bodies were severely burnt and were identified through DNA testing, along with physical features recognised by family members. Several BJP leaders, including former MP Pushpendra Singh Chandel, visited the family's home following the deaths.

What The FIR Says Happened

According to the FIR, passengers had earlier objected to the driver and conductor smoking inside the bus. The two reportedly laughed off the complaints and told passengers to stay quiet.

A burning smell then began filling the moving bus, which passengers pointed out to the driver. The driver and conductor dismissed their concerns, saying the smell was something they usually noticed inside the bus. Despite repeated requests from passengers, the driver did not check the vehicle and continued smoking.

Read: Greater Noida Bus On Fire, Driver Told Passengers "Won't Stop, Don't Care If You Die"

Minutes later, flames broke out from the front of the bus. As passengers began screaming, the FIR states that the driver told them, "I don't care if you die, I won't stop the bus."

The bus, registered in Bihar, was travelling from Delhi to Mahoba and was carrying more than 35 people. It was quickly engulfed in flames, and thick smoke made it difficult for passengers to escape. Nine people died in the incident, and several others were injured. Visuals from the scene showed the bus completely charred as fire brigade teams worked to put out the blaze and rescue passengers.

A preliminary investigation found that the fire began with a blast in the bus's air conditioning system, which ignited the engine's lubricating oil and caused the flames to spread quickly.

Both the driver and the conductor survived the fire. Police have detained them for questioning.

An investigation into the bus's records showed it had more than 60 fines for various traffic rule violations, of which 20 remain unpaid. According to vehicle information records, a total of more than Rs 1.7 lakh in fines is still outstanding for the bus, registered as BR32PA8647.