Joggers to be honoured for rescuing nearly 100 victims in Yamuna Expressway tragedy

Two youths from Mathura will be honoured with the Samaritan Citizen Award for rescuing nearly 100 injured passengers after a massive pile-up on the Yamuna Expressway. The fog-triggered accident claimed 19 lives and injured over 50 commuters

Mathura (UP): Two youths from Mathura will be honoured with the Samaritan Citizen Award for rescuing around 100 people injured in the Yamuna Expressway road tragedy earlier this week, police said on Saturday.

On Tuesday, a pile-up involving buses and cars on the Yamuna Expressway in dense fog triggered an inferno that claimed 19 lives and left over 50 commuters injured.

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The incident occurred around 4 am at Milestone 127 under the Baldev Police Station limits. Amid the chaos, two local youths helped pull nearly a hundred injured passengers out of burning vehicles and assisted them to ambulances.

Superintendent of Police (Rural) Suresh Chandra Rawat said Yogesh Sikarwar and Bhura, both from Hathkauli and Angai villages, will be felicitated at the Republic Day event at the parade ground.

“They will be given a citation and a cash reward of Rs 25,000. A proposal along with recommendations is also being sent to the Prime Minister‘s Office for honouring them at the national level,” Rawat said.

Police said that before official rescue teams reached the spot, villagers and expressway staff played a crucial role in saving lives. Yogesh and Bhura, who were jogging on the service road before dawn, rushed to the site after hearing a loud explosion.

Bhura was scheduled to submit his application for the Uttar Pradesh Home Guards service the same day, but he chose to rescue the injured. After the police arrived, the two helped them collect the remains of the deceased.