An elderly couple were burnt alive in their house at Pothireddipalem village in Nuzvid Rural mandal in the wee hours of Thursday.
Police suspect it was an act of arson by their son. The man himself, Ch. Edukondalu, suffered burns in the incident and is undergoing treatment in a hospital.
Nuzvid Rural Sub-Inspector Ch. Naga Prasad said the incident occurred around 3 a.m., when the couple, Chinimuntala Shobhachalam (62) and Maikyamma (56), were asleep in the house.
From the smell of petrol from the house, police have deduced that it could be an act of arson, and Edukondalu is suspected of throwing petrol through the window, before setting the house on fire. Police say property was the motive.
Father of three daughters and a son, Shobhachalam owned some land and intended to give some of it to the daughter. This was allegedly disputed by Edukondalu.
Doubts remain
District Fire Officer (DFO) D. Niranjan Reddy said that the fire control room received a phone call around 3.30 a.m., but by the time the fire tender could reach the spot, the couple were charred to death. It could not be established what exactly sparked the fire, Mr. Reddy said.
“There were no chances of short circuit in the house,” the DFO said.
Police suspect that it could be an act of arson and the son threw petrol into the house through the window before
setting it ablaze
