As many as 40 people were charred to death when the private bus in which they were travelling caught fire in Shikohabad area of Ferozabad district on Tuesday. The incident occurred when the shaft of the bus broke and its diesel tank caught fire.

Police sources said they were told that a bus coming from Mathura caught fire near Indauli village under Makkhanpur police circle on Tuesday afternoon. Soon, a police team along with a fire tender rushed to the site.

“The fire was sudden and most passengers got trapped inside the bus. They did not even get the time to open the doors and flee. But as many as 35 passengers managed to escape throught the driver’s door and sustained just minor injuries,” said Makkhanpur police station in-charge R P Singh. The bus driver is missing after the incident. The passengers, most of whom hailed from Sultanpur, were apparently returning after a pilgrimage. Agra IG GP Sharma said the state government has announced compensation of Rs 1 lakh to the next of kin of those killed and Rs 50,000 to the injured.