Four accused held in Dalit children burning case; several cops suspended

Faridabad: The Haryana Police has nabbed four suspects a day after two Dalit children died after their house was set afire on Tuesday while they were asleep.

The parents had also suffered burn injuries in the incident which took place at around 2 am in Sonped village on the outskirts of Delhi, allegedly by some persons from an upper caste.

Muhammad Akil, additional director general of police, informed that four people have been arrested on the basis of preliminary investigation.”

“We have constituted a special investigation team to probe the incident,” Akil added.

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He further informed that five policemen had ben deployed in the village prior to the incident.

“Three who were on duty have been suspended considering that there has been a lapse,” Akil said further.

“Officials who were present in PCR deployed there, have also been suspended. The concerned SHO has also been suspended, the ADGP

Vaibhav, who was two-and-a-half years old, and his sister, 11-month-old Divya, died on the spot after getting trapped in the fire lit using petrol.

Their mother Rekha suffered 70 percent burns and was referred to Delhi for treatment while their father Jitender too suffered injuries while trying to save his family.

Jitender alleged that the attackers were from Rajput caste and the family had a confrontation with them 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. My children died in the fire...," said a wailing Jitender.

"They had threatened me that they will finish my family, that I should never return to the village... I won't but please give me back my children," he said.

The incident led to tension in the area following which security was tightened, a police official said.

(With PTI inputs)