Dalit killings in Faridabad: Fire started in room, not outside, say Haryana forensics experts

Jitender had claimed that his house in Sunped village near Ballabgarh was set on fire by a group of upper caste people after throwing petrol from an open window.

Faridabad: Days after an arson attack in Faridabad district left two Dalit children dead, Haryana forensic experts have concluded that the “origin and source of fire was from inside the room and not from outside”.

According to The Indian Express, experts have also found a kerosene oil plastic bottle, which is half-burnt, under the partially burnt bed. A burnt matchstick has also been found lying on a slab next to the window of the room, says the daily on Friday.

The team is likely to submit its report to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) by this weekend.

The findings contradict the complaint filed by Jitender who had claimed that his house in Sunped village near Ballabgarh was set on fire by a group of upper caste people after throwing petrol from an open window.

Jitender's wife Rekha, four-year-old son Vaibhav and eight-month-old daughter Divya had received burn injuries. Both children succumbed to their injuries. The wife is battling for life in a hospital.

The daily has quoted sources in the FSL as saying that the forensic report mentioned that “no traces of outside entry” into the house were found when the alleged attack took place.

The team also concluded that “splatter’s pattern on the scene of crime was circular, which indicates that it was not thrown from a distance, but poured from the place where it was later put on fire.”

The Haryana government had ordered a CBI probe into the arson attack.

Police had earlier said that an incident that took place on October 05, 2014, when three people were killed in clashes between two groups of the village, may have led to October 20 arson.