Tempo traveller erupts in flames, 37-year-old driver burnt to death

A horrifying fire tragedy unfolded late Monday night on the Sanaura-Giripul road in Rajgarh subdivision of Sirmaur district, when a tempo traveller was engulfed in flames, leaving its driver burnt to death inside. The incident has sent shockwaves across the region.

The police said the Rajgarh Police Station received an emergency call around 12:53 am in the intervening night of October 21 and 22, reporting that a tempo traveller (HP-01-9091) had caught fire near Ganghut, Sanaura. On receiving the information, Sub-Inspector Rajesh Kanwar, in-charge of Yashwant Nagar police post, rushed to the spot with his team and managed to extinguish the fire. However, the driver had already succumbed to the blaze, his body charred beyond recognition inside the vehicle.

The deceased has been identified as Saleem Mohammad (37), son of Nazeerdheen, a resident of Masli village in Chirgaon tehsil. Police immediately sealed the area, preserving the scene for a forensic investigation. On Tuesday morning, a Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) team visited the site and examined the burnt vehicle in the presence of the deceased’s relatives.

Police investigation revealed that Saleem had left Chirgaon around 2:30 pm on Monday, driving towards Mani Majra for repair work. Around 6 pm, the vehicle owner Sher Singh had a telephonic conversation with Saleem when he was near Neri Pul. Moments later, the driver’s phone went unreachable and that was the last contact anyone had with him.

The police have recorded the statements of the vehicle owner, as well as the driver’s brother and nephews. The charred remains of the vehicle and collected samples have been sent for forensic examination. This morning the body was taken to Dr YS Parmar Government Medical College, Nahan, for post-mortem.

Authorities have also decided to conduct DNA testing to establish the identity conclusively and determine the cause of the fire. The police are continuing further proceedings under Section 194 BNSS, as the exact cause behind the vehicle fire remains under investigation.