India: Family of 4 killed as car hits tree, catches fire

Three men and a woman from a family were killed when their car hit a tree after a tyre burst, and then caught fire, in Madhya Pradesh's Harda district on Wednesday, a police official said.

The accident took place near Nausar village at around 7am when the victims were returning to their village Varkala from Deepgaon, after taking part in a wedding function, Timarni police station in-charge Sushil Patel said.

One of the car tyres burst, following which the vehicle hit a tree and caught fire. The flames engulfed the car and its occupants were trapped inside the vehicle and died, he said.

Soon after being alerted, police reached the spot to rescue the victims, but in vain. The deceased were identified as Akhilesh Kushwaha, Raksh Kushwaha, Shivani Kushwaha and Adarsh Choudhary, but the exact ages of the victims were yet to be ascertained, the official said.

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