NEW DELHI, April 30 (Xinhua) -- At least five people were killed and one suffered critical burn injuries early Thursday when a car carrying them caught fire in the western Indian state of Rajasthan, police said.

The car caught fire on the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway in Alwar district, about 172 km northeast of Jaipur, the capital city of Rajasthan.

According to police, the ill-fated moving car with six people on board went up in flames suddenly, leaving little time for the occupants to escape.

"The driver somehow managed to escape by breaking the windshield, but suffered 80 percent burns," a senior police official Sudhir Chowdhary said.

Police said the deceased were from one family and were returning from a pilgrimage in Indian-controlled Kashmir.

"Preliminary investigations reveal the fire started from the CNG (Compressed Natural Gas) kit fitted in the vehicle," Chowdhary said, adding an investigation has been ordered to ascertain the cause of the fire. ■