The wreckage of a passenger bus.—AP Photo
The wreckage of a passenger bus.—AP Photo

LUCKNOW: Police say 14 members of a family returning from a wedding were burned to death when the minivan they were travelling in caught fire in northern India. The dead include 10 children. 

Rafiq Ahmad, a local police officer in Uttar Pradesh state, said Wednesday that the vehicle was fuelled by a cylinder of cooking gas that caught fire due to a short circuit.

Ahmad said the cylinder likely exploded, turning the minivan into a ball of fire and trapping the passengers inside.

The accident took place late Tuesday night near Shamli, a town about 350 kilometres southwest of state capital Lucknow.

Ahmad said the van was carrying 20 passengers and was returning after attending a marriage ceremony. The six surviving passengers were injured.

Opinion

Editorial

Rigging claims
Updated 04 May, 2024

Rigging claims

The PTI’s allegations are not new; most elections in Pakistan have been controversial, and it is almost a given that results will be challenged by the losing side.
Gaza’s wasteland
04 May, 2024

Gaza’s wasteland

SINCE the start of hostilities on Oct 7, Israel has put in ceaseless efforts to depopulate Gaza, and make the Strip...
Housing scams
04 May, 2024

Housing scams

THE story of illegal housing schemes in Punjab is the story of greed, corruption and plunder. Major players in these...
Under siege
Updated 03 May, 2024

Under siege

Whether through direct censorship, withholding advertising, harassment or violence, the press in Pakistan navigates a hazardous terrain.
Meddlesome ways
03 May, 2024

Meddlesome ways

AFTER this week’s proceedings in the so-called ‘meddling case’, it appears that the majority of judges...
Mass transit mess
03 May, 2024

Mass transit mess

THAT Karachi — one of the world’s largest megacities — does not have a mass transit system worth the name is ...