Two burnt alive in Haryana, 25 arrested

An elderly Dalit man and his 18-year-old physically challenged daughter were Wednesday burnt alive after they were trapped in a house torched by members of a dominant community in an arson attack in Haryana's Hisar district, a top police official said.

The victims were identified as 70-year-old Tara Chand and his daughter Suman. Police have arrested 25 people in connection with the incident allegedly linked to enmity between two communities.

"Some miscreants resorted to arson in village Mirchpur and damaged property. We have arrested 25 miscreants. The situation has been brought under control," said Ranjiv Dalal, Haryana police chief, here Wednesday.

He added, "The incident occurred when youths belonging to two different communities started quarrelling with each other on some minor issue while bathing at a canal in the village. Anti-social elements exploited the situation and created a ruckus."

Dalal confirmed that two persons - an elderly man and a physically challenged girl - were killed and some houses were torched by the miscreants.

"District superintendent of police has been camping in the village and extra force has been rushed to the spot. We would make sure that trial is conducted in a fast track court and the guilty get exemplary punishment," stated Dalal.

Dalal also appealed to the people to maintain peace and calm.

Police sources said the incident was a result of an old enmity between the two communities.

"Some members of the Dalit community had beaten up youths from a dominant community after an altercation related to eve-teasing. The local panchayat (village council) intervened and got a compromise done between the two parties," said a police official, on condition of anonymity.

"To take revenge on the Dalits, the youths from a dominant community burnt their houses after pouring kerosene," the official said.