3 killed, 1 injured as car catches fire after crashing into culvert in MP  

Three persons were killed and another one was injured after their car crashed into a culvert and caught fire in Madhya Pradesh’s Raisen district, police said on Tuesday.

The incident took place at around 6 pm on Monday near Silari village on National Highway no. 45, about 90 km from the district headquarters, when the car driver was trying to avoid hitting a cow, they said.

The accident was so severe that the front portion of the car was completely flattened, trapping its four occupants, according to the police.

The four family members were returning home in Indore from Narsinghpur when the incident took place, Sub Divisional Officer of Police (SDOP) Kunwar Singh Mukati said.

After hitting the culvert, the car caught fire and all the four persons got trapped inside the vehicle. Some locals later extinguished the blaze with the help of police, he said.

SDOP Mukati, Sub-Divisional Magistrate Santosh Mudgal and other officials reached the spot after being alerted.

The car occupants were pulled out after hectic efforts by the police and other people as a cutter had to be used to remove two doors of the vehicle, the official said.

Pradeep Kumar Garhwal (50) and Ravi Kumar Garhwal (70) died on the spot, while Laxmibai Garhwal (45) succumbed to her injuries in hospital.

The seriously injured car driver, Sumit Garhwal, has been referred to a hospital in Bhopal for treatment, the official said.

A case has been registered in connection with the incident.