CCTV camera footage showing smoke from an autorickshaw in Mangaluru on Saturday. | Photo Credit: PTI
A moving autorickshaw caught fire, after a minor blast reportedly occurred from a bag being carried by the passenger in the city on Saturday.
There was commotion and panic in the area while people panicked after the news spread on social media.
The incident occurred near Kankanady Town Police Station on Padil-Pumpwell Main Road at around 5 p.m., said Commissioner of Police N. Shashi Kumar.
Both the driver and the passenger suffered burns and were hospitalised, he said. The driver told the police that the fire must have been caused by some object in the bag being carried by the passenger, he said.
Stating that not much details were available as the driver and passenger were still in the hospital, Mr. Kumar said forensic science experts would examine the vehicle and be able to identify the exact reason for the fire in the vehicle.
A CCTV camera footage from a nearby commercial building showed the moving vehicle suddenly engulfed with smoke and coming to a halt. The vehicle however appeared not to have received much damage.
The Kankanady Town Police have registered a case and are investigating.
