The charred body of a 39-year-old telecom company manager was found in a burnt car in Punjab’s Mohali on Thursday night.
Police said Madhav Chaturvedi tried to get out of the car, but apparently got stuck due to the seat belt. It is yet to be ascertained how the car caught fire, but police have ruled out foul play as of now.
The completely burnt Hyundai i20 car was found off a road dividing Sectors 79 and 80 near Sambaliki village in Mohali.
Chaturvedi (39), hailed from Faridabad and was staying with his family in Sector 108, Mohali. He was working as a senior manager with a telecom company having its office in Panchkula and was looking after the Haryana circle.
The police control room received a call at about 11.15pm on Thursday from a cab driver, who informed that a car was on flames on the road with a man trapped inside. The car was found at a low-lying area off the road, a few feet away from a pond.
By the time a police team and fire officials reached the spot, the car was completely destroyed and the body of Madhav on the driver’s seat was completely charred.
The police identified the victim on the basis of the registration number of the car. A neighbour of the victim later identified the car as that of Madhav. The family was earlier staying on rent in Panchkula and had shifted to their new home in Sector 108, Mohali, about two months back.
Police said the driver side door of the vehicle was open and Madhav’s legs were out of the car, indicating that he tried to leave the vehicle, but perhaps got stuck due to the seat belt.
Police have even found blood stains, samples of which have been sent for forensic examination. They will get the DNA samples to establish the identity.
“We have initiated inquest proceedings. We will be getting the DNA matched,” said Tarlochan Singh, the station house officer of Sohana.
Madhav is survived by his wife Nidhi and two children. Nidhi is a doctor and the family was away in Rajasthan’s Kota.
She had repeatedly called up at his office asking his colleagues to check if Chaturvedi had returned.
As per victim’s friends, Madhav was to leave for Kota on Saturday to bring back his family on January 21. Madhav was staying alone and even the maid was asked not to come till January 21.
“Madhav’s wife had called up asking me if I was sure the body was Madhav’s,” a friend of the deceased said.
Madhav’s friends who turned up at the crime scene said he was lately under stress owing to work pressure. He was a jolly person and never used to drink.
“The telecom company was going in for a merger, starting with the Haryana circle. Madhav was working overtime owing to this and was stressed,” said one of his friends.