In a tragic incident that has shocked the local community, a 30-year-old YouTube content creator was found dead inside his burnt vehicle on Hyderabad's Outer Ring Road during the early hours of Monday morning.
The Fateful Morning
Durga Prasad, a resident of Hasanparthi in Hanumakonda district, had visited Hyderabad to meet relatives in Miyapur and stayed overnight at their residence. According to Shamirpet Sub-Inspector Sasivardhan Reddy, the victim began his return journey to Hasanparthi at 4:30 am on Monday in his Ford Eco car.
The sequence of events took a tragic turn when Prasad entered the Outer Ring Road at Dundigal around 5:25 am. While traveling toward Keesara, he pulled over near Bommarasipet and parked his vehicle in the extreme left lane. Police reports indicate he reclined his seat and engaged the hand brake between 5:40 and 5:50 am, during which time the car became completely engulfed in flames.
Emergency Response and Investigation
Fire department officials received an emergency alert at 5:55 am and dispatched two fire tenders from Cherlapally and Shamirpet. Despite Cherlapally fire station being the closest at 29 kilometers away, the tender faced logistical challenges having to exit and re-enter the ORR from the opposite direction to reach the accident site. Both emergency vehicles arrived at the location by 6:45 am.
By the time firefighters extinguished the blaze, the victim's body was charred beyond recognition. Investigators noted that the skeletal remains were found in a reclined position, suggesting Prasad might have been unconscious when the fire started.
The intensity of the fire completely destroyed the vehicle's registration plates, forcing the police clues team to rely on the chassis number for identification purposes.
Official Findings and Suspicious Death Case
Shamirpet Inspector S Srinath revealed that preliminary investigations by motor vehicle inspectors, forensic experts, and fire department officials point toward a possible electrical malfunction. The prevailing theory suggests that Prasad might have stopped for a quick nap and turned on the car's heater.
"Due to some electrical problem, smoke might have emanated from the heater and after inhaling the fumes, he might have fallen unconscious. Then, fire would have started and it spread quickly," Inspector Srinath explained.
The authorities have registered a case of suspicious death under section 194 of BNSS as the investigation continues to determine the exact cause of the tragic incident.
This heartbreaking incident has raised concerns about vehicle safety and the potential dangers of using car heaters during brief stops, especially during early morning hours when visibility and emergency response times might be compromised.
