20210516 Couple, 3 kids charred to death in Bengal’s North Dinajpur
India May 16 2021 “Building” “Houses”
Dead : dead 1 to 4 Burnout : 1 to 29 Injured : injured 1 to 9
Couple, 3 kids charred to death in Bengal’s North Dinajpur
Updated: 2021-05-16
MALDA: A van driver and his family, including three children, were charred to death after he allegedly set their room on fire on Friday night at a village under Hemtabad police station of Bengal’s North Dinajpur district.
Police have identified the victims as Bharatpur residents Ram Chandra Bhoumik (40), wife Shankari and their daughters Rani (12), Saraswati (7) and Parna (4). The trigger behind the tragedy is yet to be ascertained, but financial hardship caused by Covid lockdown is not being ruled out.
Preliminary investigation shows Ram was finding it difficult to make ends meet amid the partial lockdown. Rani, who succumbed to burns at Raiganj Medical College and Hospital on Saturday morning, reportedly told those attending to her that her father poured fuel on them around Friday midnight and set the room on fire. By the time neighbours doused the flames, all except Rani were dead.
Senior police and administrative officers, including the SP and BDO, have inspected the site. SP Sumit Kumar said: “The bodies have been sent for post-mortem. An inquiry is on.” District magistrate Arabind Kumar Meena said: “It is a very unfortunate incident. Primary probe indicates a suicide case. The family was receiving benefits from the government. We are yet to know the exact reason behind all this.”
Web Source: The Times of India