An e-rickshaw caught fire after its battery allegedly exploded on the Jamui-Sikandra main road in Bihar on Friday, leaving two Class 12 students injured, including one with burns over approximately 80% of her body.
The incident took place around 10am as Neha Kumari, 17, Anjani Kumari, 17, and their friend Ruchi, all residents of Bhagwana village in Jamui Sadar block, were returning home after attending coaching classes. Six other passengers were also travelling in the vehicle.
According to the students, smoke began emerging from the e-rickshaw shortly after it crossed Mahisouri Chowk. They said they alerted the driver and repeatedly asked him to stop, but the vehicle allegedly continued moving. The students claimed the driver was wearing earphones at the time.
Near Dr Neeraj Sah’s clinic, the battery allegedly exploded and the e-rickshaw caught fire. The three students jumped from the moving vehicle to escape. Neha and Anjani suffered burn injuries, while Ruchi was unharmed.
Local residents took the injured students to hospital. Neha was initially admitted to a private clinic before being shifted to Jamui Sadar Hospital. Dr Neeraj Sah said she had suffered burns over approximately 80% of her body and was in critical condition. She was referred to Patna for advanced treatment. Anjani is undergoing treatment at a private clinic.
Recounting the incident, Anjani said, “I, Neha and Ruchi are all studying in Class XII. We suddenly noticed smoke coming from the e-rickshaw before it caught fire and repeatedly asked the driver to stop, but he did not respond because he was wearing earphones.”
The incident places attention on the safety risks faced by passengers using e-rickshaws on busy district roads, where a vehicle fire can quickly become more dangerous when drivers fail to respond to warnings. The report, however, does not establish whether the battery had undergone prior inspection or whether the vehicle had any recorded maintenance issue.
Police and fire brigade personnel reached the location after being informed and brought the blaze under control. The driver allegedly fled after the incident. Police are investigating the circumstances surrounding the battery explosion, the subsequent fire and the driver’s role.
