Ajay Gupta used to run a transport business (Representational)

On his way to airport to board a flight to Europe, a 42-year-old business man was charred to death as he could not get out of his moving SUV when it caught fire in Mahendra Park area in northwest Delhi, police said on Friday.

Ajay Gupta, a resident of Alipur, was on his way to the Indira Gandhi International Airport in Mahindra XUV 500 on Thursday night when the incident took place, Vijayanta Arya, deputy commissioner of police (northwest), said.

When Mr Gupta reached Mukarba Chowk Flyover, his vehicle caught fire when in motion, he said.

Police were informed that a vehicle has caught fire and a man was trapped inside, he said.

Two fire tenders were rushed but the vehicle was completely burnt and the fire was extinguished by the time the extinguishers reached the scene, a senior fire department officer said.

A fully charred body was pulled out of the SUV, police officials said.

The cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained. A Forensic Science Laboratory team inspected the scene, police said. The report is awaited.

During preliminary investigation, it was revealed that the automatic system of the car got locked due to fire, hence Gupta could not get out of the vehicle, a senior police officer said.

The post-mortem was conducted on Friday morning and the body was handed over to the family members, police said.

Mr Gupta used to run a transport business. He has three children.

According to his family member, he left the house at around 10 pm on Thursday for the airport as he along with his friends had planned a trip to Europe.

Another family member said they received the information about the incident on the intervening night of Thursday and Friday.