Hyderabad: In a shocking incident, a man and his wife set a couple on fire accusing their son of harassing their daughter at Alwal in Malkajgiri district. The incident, which occurred on Makar Sankranti, left one person critically injured and a four-year-old child with burn injuries.
Police, said the accused, Nandakumar and Lakshmi from Machabollaram, are the parents of the girl, a first-year degree student. They had been accusing a young man, Pradeep, a private firm employee and the son of Prakash and Hemalatha of harassing their daughter. Pradeep had reportedly been pursuing the young woman for some time despite repeated warnings from her parents. Local elders had also been involved in addressing the matter but tensions continued to escalate between the families.
On Tuesday night, the accused along with a few others, armed with a bottle of petrol, went to Pradeep’s house. Finding only Prakash and Hemalatha at home, they poured petrol on them and set them ablaze. Prakash sustained 50 per cent burns and his condition is stated to be critical. He has been admitted to Gandhi Hospital for treatment. On the other hand, Hemalatha escaped with minor injuries and has since recovered. Chandini (4), a neighbor’s child who was playing at the house suffered burn injuries on both legs is undergoing treatment at a private hospital in Kompally. The accused fled the spot immediately after the attack. Alwal police have registered a case and launched a manhunt for the accused. While a suspect has been detained for questioning, investigation is on from all angles, said police.
