Two-and-a-half-year-old Vaibhav and his 11-month-old sister Divya died after the attackers allegedly poured petrol inside the house from the window and set it on fire while the family was sleeping
A police officer inspects the house of the Dalit family that was set on fire at Ballabgarh in Faridabad in the wee hours of Tuesday
Faridabad: Two children of a Dalit family were burnt alive and their parents suffered injuries yesterday after some persons from upper caste allegedly set their house ablaze while they were sleeping. The shocking incident occurred around 2.30 am at Sunped village on the outskirts of Delhi, the police said, adding two persons have been arrested.
A police officer inspects the house of the Dalit family that was set on fire at Ballabgarh in Faridabad in the wee hours of Tuesday. Pic/PTI
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Eleven persons, including a father-son duo, have been booked for murder, rioting and other charges, a police spokesperson said.
Two-and-a-half-year-old Vaibhav and his 11-month-old sister Divya, died after the attackers allegedly poured petrol from the window inside the house and set it on fire while the family was sleeping. A religious programme was being held nearby in the village at that time.
Their mother Rekha (28), suffered serious burns and has been referred to Delhi for treatment. Their father Jitender Kumar (31) also sustained injuries while trying to save the family.
A compensation of
Rs 10 lakh was announced for the family by the Haryana government, state officials said. Jitender alleged that the attackers were from Rajput caste and the family had a confrontation with them over a murder in October after which a case had been registered.
“We were sleeping when they poured petrol from the window. I smelt the petrol and tried to wake up my wife but by then the fire had started. They locked the door from outside.
My children died in the fire,” said Jitender, “They had threatened that they will finish my family, that I should never return to the village... I won’t but please give me back my children.”
The incident has led to tension in the area and security has been tightened. Subhash Yadav, police commissioner for Faridabad, reached the village to personally monitor the situation.
“Sunped resident Balwant and his son Dharm Singh are among 11 persons booked under IPC Sections 302 (murder), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 324 (voluntarily causing hurt by dangerous weapons or means), 148 (rioting, armed with deadly weapon) and 149 (every member of unlawful assembly guilty of offence committed in prosecution of common object). Two persons have been arrested,” the police spokesperson said.
An SC/ST Commission team met the victims’ family and assured them that they will get justice.
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