Auto catches fire in Mangaluru, police, forensic team begin probe

Police commissioner N Shashi Kumar said a bag carried by the passenger, who boarded the auto at Nagori, caught fire during the ride. The autorickshaw was going towards Pumpwell .

An autorickshaw caught fire in Mangaluru city on Saturday, and the driver and a passenger sustained burn injuries, police said.

CCTV footage of the incident, captured on two cameras, shows smoke coming out of a moving auto-rickshaw in Mangaluru, police said after an initial investigation. (HT Photo)

CCTV footage of the incident, captured on two cameras, shows smoke coming out of a moving autorickshaw, police said after initial investigation.

Police commissioner N Shashi Kumar said a bag carried by the passenger, who boarded the auto at Nagori, caught fire during the ride. The autorickshaw was going towards Pumpwell .

“Around 5.15 pm, fire was spotted in an autorickshaw. The driver has said that fire was spotted inside a bag carried by the passenger. The driver and the passenger suffered burn injuries. We have shifted them to a hospital,” said the commissioner.

When asked if there was an explosion, he said he doesn’t have any information about the forensic experts inspecting the location. “We are not sure if it was a blast… FSL has collected samples from the location to identify the material and contents of the bag. They are doing the tests,” he added.

“We don’t know the nature of the incident yet. It is only the driver who has seen it. He said there was a sudden fire. He is currently undergoing treatment, so we haven’t been to talk to him in detail,” he added.

Kumar said, “There is no need to spread rumours or create panic over the incident.” .