BENGALURU: A 48-year-old realtor was charred beyond recognition after the Multi Utility Vehicle (MUV) he was driving caught fire near Jindal in Anchepalya on the Bengaluru-Tumakuru road on Tuesday afternoon. Since the vehicle was engulfed in flames in seconds, the victim could not come out.
It is said that he tried to open the door but the vehicle’s central locking system was jammed. Employees of a nearby petrol bunk made a futile attempt to douse the fire with fire extinguishers. MN Halli police identified the victim as T Anil Kumar, a resident of Shettihalli in Jalahalli West, based on the vehicle’s registration number.
Anil had no chance to escape, says eyewitness
The vehicle was registered at Yeshwantpur RTO in January 2023. The incident happened between 3pm and 3.15pm, when the MUV was moving towards the city. One fire tender was pressed into service to put out the blaze. Traffic movement was thrown out of gear.
“The exact reason behind the fire is yet to be ascertained. According to eyewitnesses, the fire started within the vehicle and the driver couldn’t come out.
The vehicle was not fitted with CNG, but was a hybrid vehicle. The vehicle was coming towards the city,” Mallikarjun Baladandi, Bengaluru Rural SP told The New Indian Express. Abhishek, an eyewitness, said he was riding his bike on the service road and saw the vehicle burning.
“There was only one person in the vehicle and he had no chance of escape. He was charred and the vehicle was completely gutted. Only iron parts of the car remained. The driver of a bus coming behind the MUV also tried to douse the fire with the fire extinguisher in the bus,” Abhishek said. MN Halli police registered a case, and investigations are on.