13 people burnt alive in Andhra Pradesh

Mahboobnagar, Andhra Pradesh, June 10: In a ghastly incident, 13 members of a family including, five women and four children, were burnt alive late last night in Polkampalli village in this district when their house was set on fire following a land dispute.

Large-scale arson was also reported in the village leading to a tense situation.

According to police sources, the land dispute was continuing between Hanumappa and Kishtappa for the last ten years. Kishtappa was murdered three years ago in which Hanumappa's son Ashok was convicted. Hanumappa's son was recently released on parole.

Ashok, leading a group of 40 people, attacked Kishtappa's house but they were chased away by Kishtappa's supporters.

Enraged by the incident, followers of Kishtappa and the villagers raided the two houses owned by Hanumappa, locked them and set them afire, killing all the 13 inmates, the sources said.

Ashok and his brother Basavaraj were also killed in the incident.

Only two bodies have been identified, so far, police said.

Home Minister K Jana Reddy today held a high-level review meeting on the incident at Hyderabad. He ordered the police authorities to deploy special teams to nab the culprits. He toldnewspersons that all those involved in the incident would be brought to justice. Chief Minister Dr Y S Rajasekhara Reddy in a brief chat with newspersons at the Secretariat said the toll was not as high as the media reported.

Tension prevailed in the village and a large posse of police was deployed to prevent further escalation, sources added.

UNI