Greater Noida, Sep 24: Passengers travelling on the double-decker bus that caught fire on the Yamuna Expressway in Uttar Pradesh’s Greater Noida had reportedly noticed a burning smell minutes before the blaze erupted; however, the driver and conductor allegedly continued smoking cigarettes inside the vehicle, according to the first information report (FIR).

Nine people, including a woman, were charred to death and several were seriously injured after a massive fire broke out in the bus, officials said.

The FIR stated that passengers had earlier objected to the driver and conductor smoking inside the bus. However, the two allegedly laughed off their objections and threatened the passengers, asking them to remain quiet and not raise the issue further.

According to the FIR, a strong burning odour subsequently began spreading through the moving bus.

The passengers noticed the smell and informed the driver about it, but he and the conductor allegedly dismissed their concerns, saying that such a smell was common inside the bus and that they often experienced it.

Despite repeated requests from the passengers to check the source of the smell, the driver allegedly did not carry out any inspection of the vehicle. Instead, he and the conductor continued smoking cigarettes while the bus was travelling on the expressway, the FIR said.

A few minutes later, flames were reportedly seen emerging from the front portion of the bus, causing panic among the passengers travelling inside the vehicle.

As the fire began spreading and passengers started screaming for help, the driver allegedly refused to stop the bus.

According to the FIR, the driver told the passengers, “I don’t care if you die, I won’t stop the bus.”

The incident involved a Bihar-registered sleeper tourist bus that was travelling from Delhi to Mahoba in Uttar Pradesh. The vehicle was carrying more than 35 people when the fire broke out on the Yamuna Expressway in Greater Noida.

The blaze rapidly engulfed the bus, while thick and dense smoke filled the vehicle, making it extremely difficult for the passengers to find a way out.

Upon receiving the information, senior police officials, accompanied by the local police force, a rescue tender, and a fire tender stationed at the Jewar Toll Plaza, responded, according to the officials. Four additional fire tenders and a fire service unit immediately rushed to the scene and completely extinguished the fire.

Preliminary investigations suggest that the fire originated from a spark or blast in the bus’s air conditioning system, which ignited the engine’s lubricating oil and caused the fire to spread rapidly.

The driver and conductor were taken into custody, and a case was registered under relevant sections, officials said.

“A case has been registered under relevant sections regarding the incident, and both the driver and the conductor have been taken into custody. Further necessary legal proceedings are underway,” officials said.

New Delhi, Sep 24: The Narcotics and STF teams of Delhi Police have arrested a shooter linked to the Gogi gang following an exchange of fire in North Delhi Jaroda Majra area, officials said on Thursday.

The accused, identified as Mohit, is reportedly a close associate and shooter of gangster Deepak Boxer, according to police.

The arrest came after the teams received information about the presence of an armed shooter in the area who was allegedly planning to carry out a criminal attack.

According to the preliminary information, Mohit had reached the Jaroda Majra area on a motorcycle to pick up a friend and was allegedly preparing to execute a crime in Tajpur village.

Meanwhile, the Narcotics andSTF teams received a tip-off that a shooter had entered the area with plans to carry out an attack.

Acting swiftly on the intelligence input, the police teams laid a trap near Jaroda Majra Metro Station and began monitoring the area.

When the police attempted to intercept the suspect, he allegedly opened fire at the police personnel. The police team retaliated in self-defence, leading to an exchange of gunfire.

During the firing, a bullet allegedly fired by Mohit hit a Head Constable of the Narcotics team in the chest. However, the police official was wearing a bulletproof jacket at the time, which protected him from serious injury and helped save his life.

Following the exchange of fire, the police team managed to overpower the accused and take him into custody. An illegal pistol was recovered from his possession along with the motorcycle he was allegedly using to travel to Tajpur village in connection with the planned crime.

The recovery of the weapon and motorcycle is being examined as part of the ongoing investigation.

Police are also verifying the circumstances under which the accused entered the area and the alleged purpose behind his planned visit to Tajpur village.

The Narcotics and STF teams are currently questioning Mohit to gather further information about the alleged criminal plan.

Patna, Sep 24: Days after a Class 10 girl was harassed in Bihar Jamui, a similar case has emerged this time in Samastipur. A video showing the public harassment of a young girl has surfaced on social media, prompting police action and the detention of five suspects.

The alleged incident took place on the Bandh Bypass Road in Jagatsinghpur village, under the jurisdiction of Karpurigram police station, and a few km from the Samastipur district headquarters.

According to the preliminary information available to police, the girl had stopped along the roadside with a male companion to take photographs when a group of youths surrounded her and misbehaved with her.

The viral video, which began circulating widely on social media late on Wednesday, allegedly shows some youths questioning the girl about her identity, verbally abusing her and engaging in inappropriate behaviour. The footage also appears to show an attempt to pull her along the road.

Police said an onlooker is believed to have recorded the incident on a mobile phone before the clip was widely shared across social media platforms. After the video came to their notice, Samastipur Police initiated an investigation and began identifying those seen in the footage.

So far, police have identified two suspects as Vikas Sharma and Rahul Kumar, both residents of Jagatsinghpur village. Police have detained five individuals from the village and are questioning them in connection with the case. Police said multiple liquor-related cases are already registered against Vikas Sharma.

Samastipur Superintendent of Police Arvind Pratap Singh said officials were examining the roles of all individuals seen in the video and were directed to expedite the investigation and take appropriate legal action against those found involved.

Investigators are also verifying the authenticity of the video, establishing when and where the incident took place, and identifying the person who recorded the footage. Police are examining whether the viral clip reflects the complete sequence of events or has been circulated in an edited form.

Officials said the identities of everyone appearing in the video, the exact circumstances of the alleged incident and the number of people involved would become clear only after the investigation is completed. Police continue to question the detained suspects and gather information from local residents as the probe progresses.