DHAR: Four men were charred to death and another person was seriously injured after their car fell into a culvert and caught fire in Madhya Pradesh's Dhar district, police said on Monday.
The accident occurred at 11.14 pm on Sunday, Superintendent of Police Sachin Sharma told PTI.
One of the car's tyres burst, causing the vehicle to veer off the Lebad-Nayagaon four-lane road, plunge into a culvert and catch fire at the spot about 20 km from the district headquarters, police said.
Five friends had gone from Sagour village to offer prayers at a temple and were returning when the accident occurred, investigation officer Kailash Gamad told PTI over the phone.
One occupant was thrown out of the car, while the other four remained trapped inside as the flames spread, killing them, he added.
The deceased have been identified as Bheem Dhakad (24), Aditya Tiwari (22), Chetan Dhakad (21) and Abhishek Solanki (19), all local residents, Gamad said.
The injured youth, Tushar Mandloi (20), was provided first aid and referred to Indore for further treatment. His condition was serious, police said.
A police team rushed to the spot after receiving information and called the fire brigade, which doused the flames but could not save the car from being gutted.
The bodies were sent to the Dhar district hospital for post-mortem examination.