The Maruti Suzuki XL6 which caught fire on Tumakuru Road, Bengaluru, on Tuesday.
Credit: Special arrangement
Bengaluru: A real-estate businessman was burnt alive after a fire broke out in his car in northern Bengaluru's Tumakuru Road on Tuesday, police officials said.
Anil Kumar, 48, was returning home to Shettihalli, near Jalahalli, in his Maruti XL6 (KA 04 NB 5879) when a fire suddenly sprung up in the car's bonnet near the Anchepalya toll plaza around 3.30 pm. The fire soon engulfed the entire automobile, trapping Kumar inside. His repeated attempts to get out of the car didn't yield results as he was burnt alive.
Police and fire emergency services personnel rushed to the spot and doused the fire. Forensic experts have collected samples from the car, and their report is awaited. A case has been registered at the Madanayakanahalli police station.
A police officer close to the investigation described the case as "tricky".
"It's unclear if Kumar really wanted to get out of the car or he was actually trapped inside. If he was unable to open the lock from the inside, what caused the jam is another mystery," the officer added.
5-km-long traffic jam
The burning car caused an hour-long traffic jam on the busy arterial road that connects Bengaluru with many districts of central and northern Karnataka and beyond. Vehicles were stuck for about five kilometres between 3.30 and 4.30, according to police.