By IANS,
New Delhi: A day after a woman was charred to death after her car suddenly caught fire on a south Delhi road, police were Sunday still trying to ascertain the cause. Her husband, who sustained severe burns, is still unconscious.
The woman identified as Shubha, 32, was burnt alive when the couple’s Maruti Wagon-R car suddenly caught fire on Nelson Mandela Road. Her husband, S.K. Kanji, who was driving sustained 70 percent burns.
“We are in the process of finding out the cause of the fire. Prima facea it seems that the fire erupted when the car was still moving. We haven’t been able to take the man’s statement. Doctors say he is in shock and still unconscious,” a senior police official told IANS.
Delhi Fire Service officials said they were informed around 5.50 p.m. Saturday that a car had caught fire in front of DLF Mall at south Delhi’s Nelson Mandela Marg.
Two fire engines and ambulances reached the spot but could not save the woman who “was burnt beyond recognition”. The car too was reduced to ashes, fire official said.
The couple, residents of south Delhi’s Aaya Nagar, hail from West Bengal.
Kanji has been admitted to the burns ward of Safadarjung Hospital. His condition was described as critical, the police official said.
Investigating officials said that the couple was returning from Gurgaon when smoke started coming out of the car. Motorists nearby managed to get Kanji out of the car but Shubha was trapped inside as the seat belt could not be released.