Nuh: In a horrific incident, as many as nine people were charred to death whereas around 15 others sustained burn injuries after the tourist bus they were travelling in caught fire in Haryana’s Nuh in the early hours of Saturday.

The fire incident was reported on the Kundli-Manesar-Palwal (KMP) Expressway near Nuh. The victims are said to be residents of Punjab's Hoshiarpur, Ludhiana and Chandigarh. 

"Nine people -- six women and three men -- were killed in the accident. Fifteen people were injured and have been hospitalised. All the injured are stable," news agency PTI quoted Inspector Jitendra Kumar, Station House Officer, Sadar Tauru, as saying.

According to sources, the pilgrims were on the way back from Vrindavan and Mathura. The injured have been admitted to a hospital. After locals noticed fire on the moving bus, they reached out for help and informed police. A local resident said that after noticing the fire, some people chased the bus on a motorcycle and asked the driver to stop.

Soon, fire tenders were rushed to the spot. The fire has been brought under control. 

Police have launched an investigation into the matter. More details are awaited.