Saharanpur:

A private vehicle that was part of a wedding convoy went up in flames after a man recklessly burst firecrackers through its sunroof, in Uttar Pradesh’s Saharanpur.

According to sources, the incident took place in Gandevada village under Fatehpur police station area on Friday.

A viral video shows the man shooting fireworks, as part of the wedding celebrations, through the sunroof of the vehicle. As the sparks from the smoke-emitting crackers rise in the air and then land on the vehicle, the car catches fire.

While most local residents run for safety, one of them rushes towards the car to help the occupant come out safely.

There was no immediate report of any injuries or casualties. The vehicle was, however, gutted in the fire. It was later seized by the police, who also imposed a fine on the accused.

Last month, firecrackers were set off from the roof of a private vehicle in Chandigarh, prompting police to initiate action against the accused.

During Diwali last year, several videos of young men setting off firecrackers from the roofs of moving cars in Gurugram surfaced on social media. Gurugram police emphasised the seriousness of the matter and also initiated legal action against the individuals involved in such incidents.

Looking out of sunroofs while a vehicle is in motion is in violation of the law. Provisions under the Motor Vehicles Act empowers the police to impose fines on such offenders.

(With inputs from Ashok Kashyap)

Saharanpur, UP:

Two children were found dead under suspicious circumstances in the Deoband area of this Uttar Pradesh district, police said Friday.

Their family members claimed the children were killed as part of a Tantric ritual, they added.

Superintendent of Police (Rural) Sagar Jain said Dev (11) and his 9-year-old cousin Mahi had gone to a temple outside their village in Bhayal on Thursday.

“When they did not return by late night, the family began a search. Around midnight, the children’s bodies were found on the roadside, prompting villagers to notify the police,” Mr Jain said.

The police, who arrived at the scene with a forensic team, noted that both the bodies showed signs of broken bones, indicating possibility of a road accident.

Their bodies have been sent for a postmortem, Mr Jain said.

However, the incident has stirred anger among the villagers, who blocked the Deoband-Nanota road, alleging that the cousins were killed as part of a Tantric ritual.

Local authorities assured the villagers of a thorough investigation into the incident.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)