Kerala family charred to death after car catches fire during Mahabalipuram trip

Palakkad natives Jayadevan, his wife Ramadevi and their daughter Divyashree were the victims Jayadevan (52) was working as an accountant in Chennai Divyashree (24) was an engineering graduate and got married to an Indian Army officer recently A short circuit is suspected to have caused the blaze, though it is yet to be confirmed

Three members of a Kerala family were charred to death when the car they were travelling in caught fire near Mahabalipuram on Sunday morning. 

Palakkad natives Jayadevan (52), his wife Ramadevi (50) and their daughter Divyashree (24) were the victims. Jayadevan was working as an accountant in Chennai, while Divyashree was an engineering graduate and had gotten married to an officer in the Indian Army recently.

The incident occurred on the East Coast Road at Manamai when they were returning to Chennai after taking a look at a residential layout in Mahabalipuram, the local police said.

It is understood that the car, a hatchback, was parked when it caught fire. A short circuit is suspected to have caused the blaze, though it is yet to be confirmed.

The locals, who noticed the car catching fire, alerted the fire department and the police. But by the time the blaze was doused by fire and rescue services personnel, the car was gutted and all three passengers were charred to death. 

A senior police official said that the cause of the incident is still being investigated. The police have informed Jayadevan’s relatives in Palakkad and Bengaluru, and the bodies were sent to Chengelpet Government Hospital for autopsy.

(with agency inputs)