THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A 70-year-old businessman was charred to death on Tuesday when the car he was driving suddenly caught fire at Aramkallu near Karakulam, near here. The deceased has been identified as Padmanabha Pillai, a resident of Chadiyara, near Poojappura.
The Nedumangad police have registered a case of ‘unnatural’ death. According to the police, the Maruti car (KL 05 B 3618) caught fire while it was still in motion. He was on his way to collect tiles from Nedumangad.
“The blaze raged so quickly that neither the driver nor the people trying to help him were able to open the door. Immediately, the locals informed the local police and the fire force,” eyewitnesses said.
“By the time fire tenders arrived at the spot and doused the fire, he was charred beyond recognition. Though the exact reason for the fire is yet to be ascertained, it’s presumed that the car might have caught fire either due to some short circuit in its wiring or it may have started from the engine. We are investigating the issue,” a police official said.
However, the body was identified later by the relatives by spotting some medical files used by him found inside the car and the partially burnt registration board.The body has been shifted to Medical College Hospital and will be handed over to the relatives on Wednesday. Pillai is survived by wife Saraswathy and two daughters, Vijitha and Rejitha.