Three of family die after car catches fire in Shahabad

In a hapless incident, three people of a family were killed, while three were referred to PGI Chandigarh with burn injuries after the car they were travelling in caught fire due to sparking in Shahabad last night.

The deceased were identified as Sandeep Kumar, and his minor daughters Pari and Amanat, while the injured were identified as Aarti, Lakshmi and Sudesh from Sonepat. They were presently residing in Chandigarh.

As per sources, the victims were on their way from Sonepat to Chandigarh when near Mohri in Shahabad at around 10.40 pm, a fire broke out in their car and the victims got stuck inside it.

Sandeep was travelling with his wife Lakshmi, daughters Pari and Amanat, brother Sushil, Sushil’s wife Aarti, and son Yash and their mother Sudesh when the incident took place.

Sushil in his statement to the police said they had come to Sonepat on October 26 and last night they were returning to Chandigarh after celebrating Diwali. “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 and somehow, I managed to unlock the car. Passers-by 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 burn injuries on her stomach, arm and both hands,” he added.

As per the statement, Lakshmi, Sudesh and Aarti have also suffered burn injuries and were referred to the PGI in a serious condition.

Investigating officer sub-inspector Jaswant Singh said, “The bodies were handed over after a post-mortem and the statement of Sushil was recorded. Currently, three patients are undergoing treatment at the PGI of which the condition of Lakshmi is said to be serious.”

SHO Shahabad police station Nirmal Singh, said, “Eight people, including deceased Sandeep with his wife and two daughters, brother Sushil, his wife and a son, and their mother, were travelling in the car when the incident took place.”