The charred car in which skeletal remains were found near Thisaiyanvilai on Tuesday (March 17, 2026).
| Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Four members of a Chennai family, including two children, were found charred in a car on the Thisaiyanvilai-Aaththankarai Pallivaasal Road in Tirunelveli district on Tuesday (March 17, 2026).
The deceased were identified as Mohammed Rabi, 43, his wife Syed Nazreen Fatima, 38, and their children aged 15 and 13, all residents of Periyar Nagar at Chennai’s Nandambakkam.
The incident came to light after passers-by noticed the car amid bushes on a mud road branching off the main road at Pettaikulam, about 150 metres away, and alerted the police. A police team rushed to the spot and found four charred bodies in the vehicle.
Forensic experts were called in to collect evidence, and the skeletal remains were sent for analysis.
Superintendent of Police V. Prassannakumar and Deputy Superintendent of Police (Valliyoor) Venkatesh visited the scene and cordoned off the area to prevent tampering of evidence.
The police said the victims were identified after retrieving the car’s engine and chassis numbers and analysing the CCTV footage from cameras along the stretch.
Preliminary investigations revealed that Rabi, a personal driver employed by a private firm’s manager, had left Chennai about a week ago with his family, informing friends that he was travelling to Nagercoil. He had also told his mother-in-law that the family would visit her native place, Alwarthirunagari in Thoothukudi district, during Ramzan.
The family had stayed near the Aaththankarai Pallivaasal for the past two days and performed special prayers. On Monday (March 16, 2026), they donated their clothes to the needy and attended ‘iftar’ prayers.
CCTV footage from the shrine showed that the family had left the premises around 1.10 a.m. on Tuesday. The police believe the incident occurred within a few hours of their departure.
Investigators suspect that the family, reportedly under financial distress, may have died by suicide. However, they are also probing the possibility of an accidental fire.
“The driver’s seat was found reclined, indicating that Rabi might have been sleeping in the front, while the others were in the rear seat. Whether it is a case of suicide or accidental fire will be known only after the forensic report comes in,” Mr. Prassannakumar said.
(Assistance for overcoming suicidal thoughts is available on the State’s health helpline 104, Tele-MANAS 14416, and Sneha’s suicide prevention helpline 044-24640050)
Published – March 17, 2026 11:43 am IST
