Man sets brother-in-law's house on fire, kills 7-year-old niece over family dispute in Madhya Pradesh

According to the police, there was marital discord between Ramu Adivasi and his wife, and she was living separately. The accused suspected his brother-in-law Rajesh of not permitting his wife to return to him.

Raisen: A man allegedly set his brother-in-law's house on fire, killing his seven-year-old niece over a family dispute in Madhya Pradesh's Raisen district, police said on Tuesday.

The police have arrested the accused, Ramu Adivasi, in connection with the incident that occurred on Sunday night at Jamgarh village under Bareli police station, some 100 km from the district headquarters, an official said.

According to the police, there was marital discord between Adivasi and his wife, and she was living separately. The accused suspected his brother-in-law Rajesh of not permitting his wife to return to him.

Rajesh, a labourer, lived with his wife and four children in a hut on a farm, Bareli police station in-charge Vijay Tripathi said.

Adivasi allegedly set fire to the hut when the family was inside, he said.

While the couple managed to come out of the burning hut with their three children, their seven-year-old daughter was killed in the blaze, the official said.

A case under section 302 (murder) and other relevant provisions of the Indian Penal Code was registered against the accused, he said.