Patna, Aug 8 In a shocking incident, a 12-year-old boy died and his father sustained severe burns after being allegedly set on fire in their home at Kachora village in Bihar's Katihar district.
The deceased has been identified as Sunil Kumar Mandal.
Sunil's father, 45-year-old Ram Kalyan Mandal, is battling for his life in Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College and Hospital, Bhagalpur's burn ward.
According to police, both the man and his son were sleeping on the veranda of their house on Thursday when unidentified assailants allegedly sprinkled petrol on them and set them ablaze.
Other family members, who were sleeping inside, rushed out on hearing screams. Villagers quickly gathered and managed to douse the flames.
The victims were first taken to the Primary Health Centre in Durgaganj and later referred to Katihar Sadar Hospital.
As their condition worsened, they were shifted to Bhagalpur, where Sunil succumbed to his injuries during treatment.
The incident has plunged the village into mourning. Family members allege foul play, though the motive remains unclear.
Kadwa SHO Vijay Prakash said one person has been detained for questioning, and the case is being investigated from "every possible angle".
He assured that strict action would be taken against those found guilty.
"We have called the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) to collect the evidence from the crime scene. The body was sent for the post-mortem examination. We are waiting for the report for the analysis," Prakash said.
"We are also waiting for the recovery of the injured person to take his statement. His statement will be crucial to identify the accused," Prakash said.
"We have registered an FIR of murder and attempt to murder under the relevant sections of Bharatiya Nyaya Sahita in Kadwa police station, and the investigation is currently underway. We are taking statements of the deceased's family members to crack this case," he added.
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