Ludhiana, Jan. 10 -- A driver and his nephew were found dead inside the cabin of a parked truck at a factory in Bhattian village, Machhiwara, in Ludhiana district on Friday morning. Police suspect the duo died of asphyxiation after lighting an angeethi (coal brazier) to brave the cold.

The deceased have been identified as driver Chhotu, 40, of Dungarawala in Uttar Pradesh, and his assistant, Shri Bhagwan, 26, of Bharatpur in Rajasthan. The vehicle had arrived at the factory on January 5 to load refined oil.

Factory security supervisor Gurpreet Singh said both went to sleep in the cabin after having dinner on Thursday night. On Friday, he knocked on the windowpane of the truck to ask the driver to move the vehicle to make space for other...