Bengaluru: A 65-year-old auto driver died after an electric scooter allegedly exploded while charging inside his residence in Bengaluru’s Murphy Town area during the early hours of Tuesday, police said.
According to DCP East Division, Bengaluru, Dr. Vikram Amathe, the deceased has been identified as Lourd Nathan, who was reportedly sleeping near his Okinawa electric scooter on the ground floor of the house when the incident took place.
As per the complaint filed by his son Frank Anthony L (36), the EV scooter had been plugged in for charging around 11:00 pm on Monday.
At approximately 3:00 am, the scooter battery allegedly exploded, triggering a massive fire that engulfed the ground floor of the residence.
Hearing the explosion, Frank Anthony, who was sleeping on the first floor, rushed downstairs and found his father critically injured amid the blaze.
Nathan was immediately shifted to Bowring Hospital, where doctors declared him dead on arrival.
Police have registered a case under UDR Section 194 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), 2023.
Investigators are now probing the exact cause of the battery failure and whether any technical negligence or defect was involved in the incident.
The incident has once again raised concerns regarding electric vehicle battery safety and charging precautions in residential areas.
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