‘Central lock jammed, trapped family’

Three killed, three injured in Seemapuri

Three persons, including two minors, were charred to death and three others suffered serious burn injuries after their car caught fire on Tuesday night. The incident was reported from Northeast Delhi's Seemapuri area near Tarpur village at 10.10 pm on Tuesday. The family had left home around 10 pm to attend a wedding in Jama Masjid.

While Anwar (30), wife Shabnam (28) and their three-year-old daughter Aliya are battling for life in Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital, their two sons, Haris (8), Sahib (12), and a relative, Shahin (28), were charred to death.

A senior police officer said the car had a central locking system that jammed the doors and windows after it caught fire and the occupants were unable to escape. "The occupants tried very hard to break open the windows as there were cracks on the glass, but they were unable to escape. Many eyewitnesses also tried to help but only three of them could be saved." The three were rushed to the GTB Hospital by passersby and a PCR call was made. "We are investigating what caused the fire. We still have to take the statements of the occupants and the eyewitnesses," the officer said.

Anwar's condition is said to be stable, while Shabnam and Aliya are critical. Aliya has suffered serious burn injuries on her face, stomach and shoulders. Speaking to Newsline, Anwar's father Akbar said the family left home around 10 pm and went to a CNG station to get the cylinder filled. "I spoke to Anwar at the hospital and he told me that he went straight to the CNG station and got the cylinder filled. They had not even gone 50 metres from the station, when the cylinder caught fire and all the doors and windows got jammed. The car caught fire and the three family members on the back seat of the car were killed. It seems that the cylinder of the car was not filled properly and burst due to pressure," Akbar said.

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