Chandigarh prof, 2 daughters die as car catches fire in Haryana

Three members of a Chandigarh-based family were killed after the car they were travelling in caught fire due to sparking at Shahabad last night.

The deceased have been identified as Prof Sandeep Naseer, his minor daughters Prapti and Amanat, who were students of Sacred Heart School, Sector 26. The injured, Lakshmi, Aarti and Sudesh, from Sonepat, were referred to the PGI, Chandigarh, with burns. Sandeep was a professor at the Chandigarh University.

Sources said the victims were on their way from Sonepat to Chandigarh when a fire broke out in the car near Mohri in Shahabad around 10.40 pm.

Sandeep was travelling with his wife Lakshmi, daughters Pari and Amanat, brother Sushil, Sushil's wife Aarti and son Yash, and his mother Sudesh.

Sushil, in his statement to the police, said, "As we reached Mohri, we observed smoke in the car due to sparking in the wiring and the car got locked. We started suffocating due to the smoke. I managed to unlock the car. Passersby rushed us to a hospital in Mohri where my brother Sandeep and his daughters died during treatment. Sandeep and Pari had suffered burn injuries on their right hands, while Amanat had suffered injuries on her stomach, arm and both hands."

As per the statement, Lakshmi, Sudesh and Aarti also suffered burns and were referred to the PGI in a serious condition. Shahabad SHO Nirmal Singh said, “Eight people, including deceased Sandeep, his wife and two daughters, brother Sushil, his wife and son, and their mother, were travelling in the car when the incident took place.”