4 of Raj family hacked, set afire; 19-yr-old relative held, say police

A 19-year-old man was arrested for allegedly killing four members of his uncle’s family, including a six-month-old toddler, and setting their bodies on fire over an old land dispute in Jodhpur district of Rajasthan, police said on Wednesday.

- Dinesh Bothra

 

The incident in chief minister Ashok Gehlot’s home district sparked a political row, with the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) targeting the Congress government over “deteriorating law and order situation” in the state. According to the police, the incident took place at Ramnagar village in Jodhpur district around 3am on Wednesday. The accused, identified as Pappuram (19), a nephew of the head of the victim family, has been arrested, superintendent of police, Jodhpur Rural, Dharemndra Singh Yadav said.

The incident took place around 3 am when the accused attacked his paternal uncle Poonaram Berad (55), aunt Bhanwari Devi (50), their daughter-in-law Dhapu Devi (24), and her toddler daughter Manisha, the SP said.