Gujarat: Two MP workers, including minor, burnt alive as vehicle set on fire over payment dispute

Amreli, Nov 3 (IANS) Two workers from Madhya Pradesh, including a 16-year-old boy, were burnt alive after a passenger vehicle in which they were sleeping was allegedly set on fire over a financial dispute in Gujarat’s Amreli district, police said on Tuesday.

Two brothers accused of carrying out the attack have been arrested.

The incident took place around midnight on the outskirts of Gundaran village in Liliya taluka, where the two men were sleeping inside a Tufan passenger vehicle parked in a field.

The deceased have been identified as Ravi Baghel (16) and Nitin Pachaya (21), who were the son and nephew, respectively, of complainant Kamlesh Baghel.

According to officials, the accused, identified as Vinod Dodiyar and his brother Raju, allegedly poured an inflammable substance on the vehicle and set it on fire. The two occupants were trapped inside and died in the blaze.

Police said the incident stemmed from a dispute over an outstanding payment of Rs 60,000 for the vehicle, which had been purchased by Vinod from the complainant on an instalment basis.

As Vinod had allegedly failed to clear the instalments, the original seller instructed Kamlesh Baghel to take possession of the vehicle.

The complainant had repossessed it around 10 days before the incident, which reportedly angered the accused.

“The complainant had taken possession of the MUV from the accused 10 days ago. Harbouring a grudge about this, Vinod Dodiyar conspired with his brother to set the vehicle on fire. The complainant’s son and nephew, who were sleeping inside the vehicle at the time, were charred to death,” officials said.

They added that the outstanding amount of Rs 60,000 had remained unpaid and the accused allegedly decided to set the vehicle ablaze in retaliation for its repossession.

Following the incident, Liliya police, senior officers and a Forensic Science Laboratory team reached the spot and began an investigation.

The police subsequently arrested the two accused, while further investigation is under way to establish the sequence of events and whether anyone else was involved.

A case has been registered in connection with the deaths under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including Section 103(1), of murder.

–IANS

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