Two persons were burnt alive and four others were critically injured when a man who had allegedly been stalking a woman set ablaze her house in Andhra Pradesh’s East Godavari district early Wednesday, police said.
The incident happened in Dulla village of Kadiyam block, about 20 km away from Rajahmundry town. The deceased were identified as Kotni Ramakrishna (18) and Ganta Vijayalakshmi (5).
“The injured have been admitted to the government hospital in Rajahmundry. Of them, the condition of Kotni Satyavathi (45) and her elder daughter Ganta Durga Bhavani (25), who suffered third-degree burns is critical,” Kadiyam sub-inspector of police K Sridhar Kumar said.
The accused, Madala Srinivas (25), who happens to be the nephew of Satyavathi, had been stalking her younger daughter for the last couple of years. He was pressuring his aunt to get her daughter to marry him, but she rejected his proposal because of his alleged bad habits.
Last year, Satyavathi married her daughter to another man away from her village.
However, Srinivas continued to harass the mother-daughter duo. Last week, the accused attempted to attack Satyavathi and her husband Appa Rao with a knife, fortunately they managed to escape and lodged a complaint with the police.
{{/usCountry}}However, Srinivas continued to harass the mother-daughter duo. Last week, the accused attempted to attack Satyavathi and her husband Appa Rao with a knife, fortunately they managed to escape and lodged a complaint with the police.
{{/usCountry}}“At around 4.30 am on Wednesday, Srinivas came to Satyavathi’s Dulla house, poured petrol over the house and set it ablaze when all the family members were fast asleep,” police said.
While Satyavathi, her elder daughter Durga Bhavani and two other kids – Durga Mahesh and Yesu Kumar were injured, her brother Ramakrishna and Bhavan’s elder daughter Vijayalakshmi died of burns on the spot. Satyavathi’s husband Appa Rao managed to survive without any burns.
“We have booked a case of murder and are investigating. Srinivas is absconding and a manhunt has been launched to trace him,” the Kadiyam police said.