Jaisalmer, Oct 16 : In a heartbreaking incident, four friends were burned alive after their vehicle caught fire following a collision with a truck in Rajasthan's Barmer district, said officials on Thursday.

The accident occurred around 1.30 a.m. on the mega highway near Sada village, under the Sindhari police station area. One youth was seriously injured in the incident.

According to police reports, five young men from Dabar village in Gudamalani tehsil had gone to Sindhari for work. While returning home late at night, their Scorpio car collided head-on with an oncoming trailer about 30 kilometres from their destination.

The collision was so intense that the vehicle caught fire almost immediately, trapping the occupants inside.

The deceased have been identified as Mohan Singh (35), son of Dhud Singh; Shambhu Singh (20), son of Deep Singh; Pancharam (22), son of Lumbaram; and Prakash (28), son of Samparam. All four died on the spot due to severe burn injuries.

The driver, Dilip Singh, miraculously survived but is in critical condition and receiving treatment at a local hospital.

The accident led to a massive traffic jam on the busy highway.

Police and rescue teams rushed to the spot and managed to clear the wreckage and restore traffic flow after nearly an hour.

This incident comes close on the heels of the Jaisalmer bus fire tragedy, where 21 passengers lost their lives after a bus caught fire due to an electrical fault.

The recurrence of such fatal vehicle fires in Rajasthan has raised serious concerns over road safety, vehicle maintenance standards, and emergency response preparedness.

Locals and families of the victims are demanding a thorough investigation and stricter enforcement of safety norms for both private and commercial vehicles.

As Rajasthan mourns another set of young lives lost too soon, questions about highway safety and accountability loom large once again.

/IANS