Uttar Pradesh has been struck by a series of deadly road accidents due to the recent dense fog. At least 9 people have died in separate incidents across the state.
The reduced visibility caused by the dense fog has been a major contributing factor in these accidents. On December 16, 2025, a series of fog-linked road accidents across Uttar Pradesh resulted in at least 25 fatalities and 59 injuries. The most devastating incident occurred on the Yamuna Expressway in Mathura, where a multi-vehicle pile-up resulted in a fire, claiming 13 lives.
The Mathura pile-up involved eight buses and three smaller vehicles that collided around 4:30 am on the Agra-to-Noida carriageway, within the Baldev police station limits. The vehicles collided due to extremely poor visibility, and some caught fire. According to Baldev SHO Ranjana Sachan, all 13 victims in the Mathura incident died from burn injuries. Three of the deceased were identified as Akhilendra Pratap Yadav, Rampal and Sultan Ahmed. DNA samples were collected from the charred remains to help identify the other victims.
Other accidents occurred in various districts. In Basti, four people died, and 11 were seriously injured when a bus carrying pilgrims collided with a truck. In Unnao, four people died when their car collided with another vehicle, hit a divider, and overturned. Two people, including a head constable, were killed in Baghpat when a car skidded off a bridge into the Hindon River. In Barabanki, two people died and three were injured in a collision on the Purvanchal Expressway.
Authorities have urged motorists to exercise caution due to the continued dense fog in many parts of Uttar Pradesh. Following the December 16th tragedy, the Mathura district administration established helpline numbers and a control room to assist families. They also advised convoy movement on the Yamuna Expressway during dense fog and cautioned drivers against speeding and overtaking.
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath expressed grief over the loss of lives and announced a compensation of ₹2 lakh each for the families of the deceased and ₹50,000 each for the injured. President Droupadi Murmu also offered condolences for the loss of lives and injuries in the Mathura incident.
