Locked up siblings burnt alive as uncle sets house afire

Midnapore: Two minor siblings were burnt alive while their mother suffered serious injuries after their uncle allegedly torched their house locking them up inside in Midnapore West district, police said on Friday.

The incident occurred at Sundarpur village under Ghatal police station area apparently as a fallout of a long standing land dispute between Kazi Ismail, the accused, and his step-brother Sheikh Hashem.

Police said that Hashem's son Rajib Ali (13) and daughter Reshmi Khatun (16) were charred to death after Ismail allegedly locked their house from outside last night when they were sleeping and set the house on fire.

The children's mother Fatema was sent to a Kolkata hospital with 90 per cent burns.

Ismail was absconding and the police have detained his mother and sister for questioning.

Hashem was not at home at the time of the incident as he works as a Carpenter in Mumbai.

Infuriated villagers ransacked Ismail's house and set it on fire, police said.