Five killed as car catches fire after hitting truck in Punjab

The collision between the car and the truck was so powerful that the diesel tank of the truck was hit and leaking fuel caused a fire that engulfed the car.

Chandigarh (Punjab): Five people were burnt alive inside the car they were travelling in when it caught fire after a collision with a truck on Sangrur-Sunam road in Punjab, a senior police official said on Tuesday.

The five car occupants were returning to Moga late Monday night after attending a wedding reception in Sangrur district's Dirba town.

Among those who died included a doctor, said Sangrur Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Vivek Sheel Soni.

"The accident occurred around midnight. The car hit the diesel tank of the truck and the fuel spilt, leading to the car catching fire.

The occupants did not get any time to come out and were burnt alive. The car had to be cut to extricate their bodies," the SSP said over the phone.

The truck driver fled the spot, but police said they are hopeful of nabbing him at the earliest.

A senior advocate and his assistant were burnt alive two days ago as their car caught fire after dashing into a tree near the Phagwara bypass chowk in Hoshiarpur district.

With inputs from PTI