Two persons were charred to death after a fire broke out in a bus in Ranchi, police said on Tuesday.
The incident happened around midnight in one of the state's busiest terminuses at Khadgarha in Lower Bazar police station area, they said.
Police said they are investigating the cause of the fire, but prima facie they suspect it to be caused by burning candles inside the bus.
The victims were identified as Madan Mahto, 50, who was the driver of the bus, and Ibrahim, 25, the helper.
Mr Mahto was a resident of Gumla district, while Mr Ibrahim was a native of Chaibasa in West Singhbhum district, police said.
"The incident took place around midnight when the driver and the helper were sleeping in the bus. It seems that they lit candles on the dashboard of the bus for Diwali. It is suspected that they might have been under the influence of alcohol, due to which they could not sense the initial burning heat," Khadgarha's thana outpost in-charge Vikas Aryan told PTI.
By the time the fire brigade was informed, the bus was completely burnt, he said.
The bodies were sent for post-mortem to Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS), he added.
Chief Minister Hemant Soren expressed grief over the incident.
"The death of the driver and the helper due to fire in the bus at Khadgarha bus stand in Ranchi is very painful. May God give peace to the departed souls and strength to the bereaved families to bear the difficult time of grief," he tweeted.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
Congress Posts Worst Show In Maharashtra, Distant Junior Partner In Jharkhand Himanta Biswa Sarma Deeply Pained By BJP's Poll Debacle In Jharkhand Hemant Soren To Take Oath As Jharkhand Chief Minister On November 28 How Ajit Pawar Holds The Key To D Fadnavis vs E Shinde Chief Minister Race Internet Snapped, Schools Shut As Violence Over Mosque Survey Kills 4 In UP PM Modi's Big Attack On Congress Ahead Of Winter Session Human Exclamations Of Pain Are Similar Across The World: Study Earth Bids Goodbye To Its 'Mini Moon' After Months-Long Stay Who Is Yamandu Orsi, Uruguay's Newly-Elected 'Modern Left' President Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world.