Seven people, including two children, of a family were burnt alive when their car caught fire after colliding with a truck in Rajasthan's Sikar district on Sunday.
The passengers, who were residents of Meerut in Uttar Pradesh, were going to Hisar from Salasar Balaji Temple when the accident occurred, PTI quoted police official as saying.
"Near Arshiwad Pulia, the car crashed into a moving truck from behind, after which it caught fire. Seven people, including three women and two children, in the car were killed," Deputy Superintendent of Police (Fatehpur Circle) Rampratap Bishnoi said, as per the report.
Police said that the accident happened when the car was trying to overtake the truck, carrying paper rolls and cotton boxes.
When the driver of the car saw another vehicle approaching from the opposite direction, it collided with the truck to avert an accident. The LPG kit in the car burst into flames, as per the police.
The passengers could not escape the car due to which they were burnt alive in the fire.
The victims have been identified as Neelam Goyal (55), her son Ashutosh Goyal (35), Manju Bindal (58), her son Hardik Bindal (37), his wife Swati Bindal (32), their daughters Diksha (7) and Swati (4).
Fatehpur Kotwali SHO Subhash Bijaraniya said fire brigade vehicles were pressed into service from Fatehpur, Ramgarh and Laxmangarh and the blaze in car and truck was brought under control in 30 minutes The bodies have been sent for post-mortem at Rajkiya Dhanuka Sub-District Hospital, the official said.
Ramniwas Saini, who witnessed the accident, said he saw two passengers asking for help but due to fire they couldn't be saved.
Police said that during the retrieval of the bodies from the car, a damaged mobile phone was found. A local villager took out the SIM card and inserted it into his mobile phone. As soon as he switched on the mobile phone, a woman called up and informed that her mother and brother had gone to Salasar Balaji by car and informed the names of the occupants of the car.