Anjar fire in labourers' colony

In a chilling incident emerging from Kutch’s Anjar, a man is accused of setting 12 Bhunga houses (mud houses) on fire on Mar 17 in a deliberate attempt to burn alive the inhabitants. The families, including young children, managed to escape unharmed, but the huts were completely destroyed, leaving over 50 people homeless.

The accused, identified as Rafiq Kumbhar, had been taking the victims and their neighbours to work as labourers. However, as he would stop their payments, they refused to work for him anymore.

Spiteful with this, Kumbhar threatened to burn them all alive. He went to the huts early in the morning, while the children were asleep, and doused them with petroleum, among other inflammable substances, before setting them on fire.

Upon receiving information of such an incident, the Anjar police launched a probe and arrested the suspect.

Intended to burn labourers alive

As per the complainant, Badrilal Yadav, the residents in the neighbourhood woke up to the sound of the fire and managed to escape with their children, women, and elderly members. No one was injured, but the huts were reduced to ashes within minutes.

Although they immediately called the Anjar Municipal Corporation’s fire brigade to the scene, it didn’t help, as by the time they arrived, the huts were already destroyed.

As per Anjar police inspector (PI), SD Sisodiya, separate teams were dispatched to apprehend the suspect. The suspect was nabbed near the railway station. Further investigation in the matter is underway.

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