Mumbai: A leader of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) was charred to death on Tuesday after his car caught fire in Nashik district of Maharashtra. The victim Sanjay Shinde, 55, was a taluka unit vice president of the party.
According to the police, the incident took place near the Pimpalgaon Baswant toll plaza on Tuesday afternoon, when Shinde was on his way to Pimpalgaon on Mumbai-Agra road, to purchase pesticides. His car caught fire possibly due to short-circuit in the wiring.
"After noticing the flames, Shinde tried to stop his car, but he could not get out as its doors got locked. He tried to break open the window, but was unable to do so. The fire soon spread and he was charred to death inside," a police official was quoted as saying by PTI.
"We found a bottle of hand sanitiser inside the car, and we suspect that the blaze might have spread quickly due to it as it is an inflammable substance," he said.
After being alerted, the fire brigade rushed to the spot and doused the fire, but Shinde was already dead, the official said.
A case of accidental death has been registered in the matter at Pimpalgaon Baswant police station.
Shinde, a resident of Sakore village, was a well-known grape exporter in Nashik district.
