The Allahabad High Court has taken suo motu cognisance of the Yamuna Expressway bus fire that killed nine passengers, summoning top Uttar Pradesh officials to explain safety non-compliance in sleeper buses. A bench of Justice Saurabh Shyam Shamshery issued the order on September 25.

The fire broke out late on September 23 near the 33-km mark of the expressway in Jewar, Greater Noida. A Bihar-registered AC sleeper bus carrying around 35 passengers from Delhi to Mahoba caught fire, killing nine people; about 20 were rescued. Police arrested the driver and conductor, and a preliminary probe points to an air-conditioning-related spark.

The court sought data on sleeper-bus permits issued in the last two years, safety checks, inspections and criminal action in similar accidents. An FIR alleges passengers smelled burning and the driver refused to stop; that claim has not been established in court. It noted Parliament data showing around 45 bus-fire incidents between January 2023 and December 2025 caused 64 deaths and 145 injuries.

The Chief Secretary, the Director General of Police and the Additional Chief Secretary (Transport) must appear by video conferencing. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has announced Rs 2 lakh each for the families of the deceased.