Four doused with petrol, set afire in Bikaner; cops cite old dispute

Bikaner, March 8

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In a horrific incident, four persons were doused with petrol and set on fire on Sunday in Nokha near here by a bunch of miscreants with two of the victims suffering severe burns and one battling for life, said police.

The incident took place on a road right behind Nokha police station in the town where a group of seven or eight persons intercepted the victims travelling in a jeep, pored petrol over the vehicle as well as its occupants and set them afire, said Bikaner Superintendent of Police Pradeep Mohan Sharma.

The victims somehow managed to get out of the vehicles but collapsed on road, prompting passerby to raise a hue and cry and rush them to the hospital, he said.

“Two of the four persons, Shanti Lal and Ajit Singh, received major burn injuries and the condition of Shanti Lal is critical,” said Sharma, adding the victims have been admitted to PBM Government Hospital.

“Primary investigation has revealed that the two groups had an old dispute between them,” he said.

Police sources said Ajit Singh and others had allegedly beaten a man in Ugamsar village near Nokha a few days back. Today’s incident is a result of that, they said.

“The reasons why the man in Ugamsar was beaten by Ajit and others are not clear as of now. A couple of persons have been rounded up in connection with the incident,” the sources said.

The four accused have been identified as Suresh Vishnoi, Govind Dan and Rahul and Rewant.

Meanwhile, Nokha MP Bihari Lal demanded immediate arrest of the accused involved in the case.

“The incident is shocking. All the accused should be arrested immediately,” the BJP MLA said.

Additional SP, deputy SP and other policemen rushed to the spot and efforts are made to arrest the accused. — PTI