Autorickshaw deaths at CP were accident: police

A day after two women were charred to death in an auto rickshaw in Connaught Place, the police said it was a case of “accidental death”.

A day after two women were charred to death in an auto rickshaw in Connaught Place, the police said it was a case of “accidental death”.

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On the basis of the postmortem report and the forensic examination, they concluded there was a CNG gas leakage that caught fire due to a short circuit, the police said.

“The two women were caught in the fire,” DCP (New Delhi) Shankar Dash said.

Kherunisa (35) and Nisha (30) died while the third passenger, Kamla alias Pooja, and auto driver Harish Kumar managed to escape. Kamla also sustained burn injuries on her hand.

Police said the postmortem report ruled out the possibility of the victims being drugged or intoxicated.

“There were no external injuries on their bodies,” Dash said.

“A short-circuit in the engine resulted in a fireball fanned by the CNG leak. Pooja, who escaped, was at the entrance of the three-wheeler, which assisted in her escape.”

The autorickshaw driver, Harish, a resident of Baldev Park, was arrested six months ago under the Immoral Trafficking (Prevention) Act. He was released from jail last week, the police said.

“The auto was moving when it caught fire. The women might not have got the time to get out of the auto,” Dash said. “The fire officials told us that the gas was still leaking when they were dousing the flames.”