Greater Noida AC bus fire leaves 9 dead: Drivers deny smoking allegations, FIR tells different story

“No, this is wrong. We don't smoke at all,” the drivers were quoted as telling the police, according to The Times of India.

The accused drivers and the conductor were produced before the District and Sessions Court in Surajpur on Thursday and subsequently remanded to 14 days of police custody.

Passengers travelling on the sleeper bus, which caught fire on the Yamuna Expressway in Uttar Pradesh's Greater Noida, reportedly complained of a burning smell minutes before the blaze erupted. However, the driver and conductor allegedly continued smoking and ignored their warnings, according to the First Information Report (FIR), as reported by NDTV.

The passengers reportedly alerted the driver about the burning smell inside the vehicle, but he and the conductor allegedly dismissed their concerns and failed to inspect the bus.

They are also accused of continuing to smoke cigarettes inside the vehicle.

Moments later, a fire broke out, triggering panic among the passengers.

As passengers screamed for help, the driver allegedly told them, “I don't care if you die, I won't stop the bus,” according to the FIR cited by NDTV.

The bus, registered in Bihar, was travelling from Delhi to Mahoba in Uttar Pradesh with more than 35 people on board. Nine people died in the tragedy.

However, a preliminary investigation indicated that the fire may have been triggered by a blast in the bus's air-conditioning system. The blast reportedly ignited the engine's lubricating oil, causing the flames to spread rapidly.

The driver and conductor survived the fire, and the police subsequently arrested them for questioning.

A 64-year-old survivor, who was travelling to Mahoba following the death of her mother-in-law, recounted the terrifying moments to NDTV. She said several passengers trampled over her while scrambling to escape the burning bus.

“We were sleeping when someone shouted, 'Get out quickly, the bus is on fire'. In no time, it was all smoke. Everyone was running,” she said.

She added that her husband, who had suffered a broken leg, was unable to get up amid the chaos.

“No one gave him a chance. His leg is broken, and no one gave him a chance,” she said.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed grief over the loss of lives in the bus fire in Greater Noida. He extended his condolences to the bereaved families and prayed for the speedy recovery of those injured.

The Prime Minister also announced an ex-gratia payment of Rs 2 lakh from the Prime Minister's National Relief Fund (PMNRF) to the next of kin of each deceased victim. The injured will receive Rs 50,000 each.