Bodies found in car in Noida: Autopsy fails to reveal cause of death

No external injuries were found on either body, and the viscera and blood samples have been sent for toxicology analysis

The post-mortem examination of two men found dead inside a parked car in Noida’s Sector 62 on Monday afternoon has not confirmed a cause of death, with the autopsy report listing it as “pending” as of Wednesday, police said.

They are suspected to have consumed alcohol and may have been resting in the car when they died, said an officer involved in the investigation. (HT Photos)

The deceased were identified as Sachin Sharma, 27, a cab driver, and Laxmi Shankar, 50, both residents of Khora Colony in Ghaziabad. Their bodies were discovered inside Sharma’s locked Hyundai Aura CNG car near a liquor store around 12.30pm, following repeated calls from Sharma’s wife, who had reportedly tried contacting him more than 80 times since Sunday night.

“No external injuries were found on either body. The viscera and blood samples have been sent for toxicology analysis,” said Amit Kumar, station house officer (SHO) of the Sector 58 police station. He added that the exact cause of death will be confirmed once the toxicology results are received, which could take up to two months.

A police officer involved in the investigation, who requested anonymity, said the men had left home with ₹3,000 and were last seen at a nearby liquor store. “They are suspected to have consumed alcohol and may have been resting in the car when they died,” the officer said.

Both keys to the vehicle were reportedly found in the ignition, and the engine was in the “on” position when the bodies were found. Both the petrol tank and the CNG cylinder were found to be reading empty; officers suspect that the car may have run out of fuel, potentially leading to asphyxiation if toxic fumes accumulated inside.