Two men found dead in parked car in Noida, asphyxiation suspected

Hindustan Times

05-08-2025

Two men were found dead inside a locked parked car in Noida's Sector 62 on Monday afternoon, with police suspecting asphyxiation as the likely cause. The car belonging to one of the victims in which both were found dead. (HT Photo)
The deceased were identified as Sachin Sharma, 27, a taxi driver, and Laxmi Kumar, 50, a daily wager, both residents of Prem Vihar in Khora Colony, Ghaziabad, police said.
According to police, a call was received around 12:30pm via Dial 112, informing them that two men were lying unconscious inside a Hyundai Aura CNG car parked near a park close to a private school in Sector 62. 'Upon getting information, a team of Sector 58 police was rushed to the spot, and a forensic team was called,' said Amit Kumar, station house officer (SHO) of the Sector 58 police station.
Police found that the car was locked from the inside with the key still in the ignition, both the petrol and CNG tank were empty.'Sachin was found lying on the front seats, while Laxmi was seated in the rear. There were no visible injury marks on their bodies,' SHO Kumar said, adding that the car was later towed for inspection.
During the preliminary inquiry, it emerged that the two men had been missing since Sunday night. 'When they didn't return home by Monday morning and their phones remained unreachable, family members began looking for them. Around 12 noon, locals informed them that Sachin's car had been parked in Sector 62 since the previous night,' the SHO said.
Sachin's father, Ramgopal Sharma, was among those who reached the scene. 'Initially, they tried knocking, but after getting no response, Ramgopal broke the window and unlocked the car,' police said.
A senior police officer said that family members had informed them that the two men were regular alcohol consumers and often spent time drinking inside the car. 'It is suspected that they consumed alcohol on Sunday night and turned on the air conditioner to rest. The car may have run out of fuel while the AC was still on, leading to lack of oxygen and suspected asphyxiation,' the officer said, requesting anonymity.
Police have sent the bodies for post-mortem, and the exact cause of death will be determined by the autopsy. The vehicle will also be examined by technicians to rule out any mechanical fault or CNG leakage, officials said, adding that the CNG tank was factory-fitted.