Indore EV Fire: Police Recover Human Remains from House, Family Denies Claim

Seven days after a devastating fire at a residential villa in Indore claimed eight lives, police on Tuesday confirmed the recovery of human remains from the debris of the house. The discovery has added a new layer of complexity to the ongoing investigation into the March 18 blaze, even as the family strongly disputed the police version.

Remains Found During Handover

Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (Zone-2) Amarendra Singh said the skeletal remains were recovered on Tuesday while handing over the property to the family in the presence of officials. A foul smell alerted those present as belongings were being removed from the house in Brijeshwari Annexe locality of Tilak Nagar.

The remains were later buried at the Tilak Nagar cremation ground. Police suspect they could belong to six-year-old Tanay, whose leg was the only part recovered immediately after the fire. Officials indicated that DNA testing may be conducted if needed to establish identity.

Initial Recovery Mistaken for Child's Body

On the day of the incident, what was initially thought to be the body of a child turned out to be sofa foam, according to the postmortem report from Maharaja Yeshwantrao Hospital. Doctors confirmed that none of the victims died from electrocution; all succumbed to suffocation due to smoke inhalation and severe burn injuries.

Two victims, Vijay Sethia and Ruchika, died primarily from suffocation, with carbon monoxide traces found in their bodies, suggesting they inhaled smoke while asleep.

Family Disputes Police Account

Saurabh Pugalia, elder son of deceased businessman Manoj Pugalia, has rejected the police claim outright. He maintained that no human remains were found inside the house and questioned several aspects of the investigation.

Saurabh has given conflicting statements since the tragedy. He initially asserted that the electric vehicle was not on charge that night, contradicting the electricity department's report which pointed to a short circuit after power resumed following an automatic cut.

Deadly Blaze Kills Eight

The fire broke out around 3:30-4:00 am on March 18 at Arham Villa. It killed eight people, including Manoj Pugalia, his daughter-in-law Simran, and six relatives who had come from Kishanganj in Bihar. Four others, including Saurabh, sustained injuries but survived.

Manoj Pugalia reportedly rescued his sons Saurabh, Saumil, Harshit and wife Sunita before going back inside to save others. He and Simran were later found near the terrace gate in severely burnt condition. Three of the four female victims were charred beyond recognition, making identification difficult. None of the women were pregnant, as confirmed by medical examination.

Illegal Gas Cylinders Raise Safety Concerns

More than 12 gas cylinders—eight domestic and four commercial—were recovered from the house, two of which had exploded. Storing beyond 100 kg of gas without authorisation violates rules, triggering serious questions about residential safety norms.

The Food and Civil Supplies Department has announced a departmental inquiry into the illegal storage. Food Officer Mohanlal Maru said action would follow after reviewing the police report.

Postmortem and Rescue Efforts Under Lens

Postmortem reports ruled out electrocution as the direct cause of death. Victims suffered from severe burns and smoke inhalation. Reports also noted that electronic locks on the doors may have delayed rescue operations, though the family denied having such locks.

The tragedy has highlighted risks associated with home EV charging and unregulated storage of flammable materials in densely populated residential areas.

Impact on Public Safety Discourse

The incident has sparked widespread concern over EV safety protocols and illegal cylinder hoarding in urban homes. It comes amid growing adoption of electric vehicles across India, raising questions about charging infrastructure standards in residential zones.

Local residents and safety experts have called for stricter enforcement of fire safety norms and regular inspections. The Madhya Pradesh government had earlier announced a detailed probe and framing of a Standard Operating Procedure for EV charging following the blaze.

What Lies Ahead

Police are now set to record statements from over 20 more witnesses, including family members and neighbours, as the probe widens. The Food Department inquiry into the cylinders is expected to proceed parallelly.

The family has demanded a thorough and transparent investigation, while authorities have assured that all angles, including the exact trigger of the fire and safety violations, will be examined. Further forensic analysis of the remains and site may provide more clarity in the coming days.

A quiet morning in Greater Brijeshwari Colony near Bengali Square turned into horror when an Indore EV fire claimed eight lives and left four others battling severe burns. The blaze started around 3:30 am on Wednesday when a short circuit in an electric car parked outside a three-storey house sparked a massive fire that quickly spread inside.

Rubber trader Manoj Pugalia’s home became a death trap within minutes. The fire reached LPG cylinders stored inside, causing one explosion after another. A sudden power cut jammed the electronic door locks, leaving people trapped with no escape route. Neighbours and a passer-by on morning walk raised the alarm, but by then eight were already inside the burning house.

Victims and Injured in Indore EV Fire

The dead include Manoj Pugalia’s daughter-in-law Simran (30) and seven relatives who had arrived from Kishanganj, Bihar, just a day earlier. Among them were Vijay Sethia (65), who had come to Indore for jaw cancer treatment, his wife Suman (60), son Chhotu (22), daughter-in-law Rashi (12), and others: Manoj Jain (60), Tinu (35) and Tanay (8).

Four survivors – Saurabh Pugalia (30), Sunita, Ashish (30) and Harshit Pugalia (25) – suffered serious burns and are under treatment at MGM Medical College. Post-mortems of seven victims are complete; two have been discharged.

How the Indore EV Fire Spread So Fast

Police Commissioner Santosh Kumar Singh said the house belonged to polymer businessman Manoj Pugalia and contained flammable chemicals that acted as fuel. Nine gas cylinders were inside. The short circuit at the EV charging point outside the house ignited the car, flames entered the home, and repeated cylinder blasts caused part of the building to collapse.

Manoj’s eldest son, who was outside during the fire, told reporters: “My sister, maternal uncle’s daughter, her two children, and my younger maternal uncle’s son arrived just yesterday. This incident happened the very next morning.”

Officials React and Raise Safety Concerns

Madhya Pradesh ministers rushed to the spot. Minister Kailash Vijayvargiya called it an “alarming situation in the era of EVs” and announced an expert committee will investigate. He also noted the fire brigade reached 30 minutes late. Minister Tulsi Silawat took stock of the situation on ground.

This is not the first such tragedy in Indore. Last year, on October 23, 2025, Congress leader Pravesh Agrawal died in a similar fire when digital locks malfunctioned during a blaze started in his home temple.

Urgent Lessons from Indore EV Fire

Experts and police are now urging EV owners to:

- Charge vehicles only in open, well-ventilated areas away from homes

- Avoid storing LPG cylinders near charging points

- Install manual override systems for electronic locks

- Keep fire extinguishers and smoke alarms updated

The Indore EV fire has once again highlighted growing risks as electric vehicles become common across India. While EVs promise a greener future, this tragedy shows that safety standards for charging and home storage must catch up fast.

Authorities have launched a full investigation. Families in Kishanganj and Indore are in mourning. As the city counts its losses, the message is clear: one short circuit should never cost eight innocent lives.