Ludhiana: Man sets house ablaze after mother refuses to give money for drugs

A man set his house on fire on Tuesday night after his mother refused to give him Rs 1,300 for drugs at Akalgarh Kalan village, here. Dharminder Singh (30) allegedly hurled stones and bricks at residents and police officials, threatening self-immolation.

The residents informed the police and the Fire Department, following which and a police team from the Sudhar police station, led by SHO sub-inspector Jaswinder Singh, reached the scene. Despite difficulties, they controlled the fire and detained Dharminder. The residents and the police had to make a lot of efforts to take the suspect out of the house. During the incident, panic spread among people in the village. The mother of the suspect, Rajwant Kaur, who also got trapped inside the house, was rescued by the residents.

Household items, including a refrigerator, an air conditioner and a LED TV, were destroyed in the fire. Dakha DSP Varinder Singh Khosa confirmed preventive action against Dharminder, producing him before the Executive Magistrate.

He said further action would be taken if Dharminder’s mother files a complaint. Khosa talked about Dharminder’s addiction, highlighting concerns about drug abuse in the state.

Sources said Dharminder was a drug addict and he used to fight with his mother. After the incident, some villagers stressed upon the importance of rehabilitation services for individuals struggling with drug addiction.