According to the police, the driver used benzene solution and a matchbox to ignite the flames. As the fire spread, he jumped off the moving vehicle
Pune police on Thursday revealed that the minibus fire, which killed four employees of a private firm, was not an accident but a pre-planned murder carried out by the driver.
The driver confessed to the crime after persistent questioning during the investigation, admitting that he deliberately set the company minibus on fire.
According to the police, the driver used benzene solution and a matchbox to ignite the flames. As the fire spread, he jumped off the moving vehicle, which continued for around 200 metres before crashing into a tree. The driver also stated that he planned the act after enduring repeated mistreatment from the daily office-goers who used the minibus.
Initially, authorities suspected a short-circuit might have caused the fire, however, this theory was debunked following the driver’s confession.
The incident took place around 7:45 am on Wednesday in the Hinjewadi area of Pune, within the Pimpri Chinchwad municipal limits.
The tempo travellerwas ferrying employees of a local graphics design startup when it caught fire on its way to the office. At first, it appeared to be an accident, but police grew suspicious due to the driver’s contradictory statements.
Four employees of Vyoma Graphics, a graphic design firm, lost their lives in the blaze. The victims were identified as Shankar Shinde (63), Rajan Chavan (42), Gurudas Lokare (45), and Subhash Bhosale (44), all residents of different Pune areas. They held various roles within the company, such as supervisor, printing machine operator, courier, and paper cutting operator.
