West Bengal: Teenagers burnt alive over family dispute in West Medinipur

According to reports, the incident took place at around 4 am. at Sundarpur village under Ghatal Police Station limits in West Medinipur.

Locals alleged that, Kazi Ismail, a middle-aged man, torched a room, where his teenager niece and nephew were sleeping with their mother, and locked the room from outside.

The man also locked all adjacent houses to prevent neighbours from helping the burning trio, according to eyewitnesses accounts.

Nearly after 15 minutes, the 48-year-old woman, Fatema Bibi, and her son and daughter were rescued from the room and were rushed to Ghatal Hospital where two teenagers were pronounced dead.

Later, Fatema Bibi was referred to a Kolkata hospital as her health condition deteriorated, hospital reports said.

A local police official said that the deceased have been identified as Rajiv Kazi and Reshmi Khatun.

Hours after the incident, locals ransacked accused's house, set it on fire and when policemen went to the area, they engaged in a clash with the cops.

Later a heavy police force rushed to scene and brought the situation under control.

However, after starting probe into the matter, police detained three persons, including two women, from the area while primary accused in the case, Kazi Ismail, is still absconding.

"After preliminary investigation, we are suspecting that the incident was an outcome of a family problem over property dispute," a local police officer told IBNS.

(Reporting by Deepayan Sinha)