Man set on fire over property row

Auto driver was asleep when realtor poured petrol on him, set him ablaze

An auto driver, who sustained severe burns in an attack by a real estate agent, died at a privatehospital in Vijayanagaron Friday.

Anjanappa, 48, a resident of Subbanna Garden, sustained third-degree burns on Monday night, when realtor Gangadhar, 46, poured petrol on him while he was sleeping in his house, and set him on fire, police said.

While the burns were themselves not life-threatening, one reason for Anjanappa’s death could be his diabetes. “The truth will be known after the post mortem,” police said.

According to sources, Anjanappa had an ongoing dispute with Gangadhar over a property at Chikkaballapur. Both were bent on buying the same residential plot. “They quarrelled frequently over the issue,” police said.

At midnight on Monday, Gangadhar reached Anjanappa’s house, poured petrol on him through the open bedroom window and set him  ablaze. The fire, which spread around the bed and other furniture, was quickly doused by Anjanappa’s family members. “They then rushed Anjanappa to the hospital,” police said.

Police have booked Gangadhar under Section 307 (attempt to murder) of the Indian Penal Code. He has been remanded in judicial custody.

Held for cheating

Jayanagar police arrested a person for allegedly cheating citizens, and recovered Rs 75,000 in cash and several gold ornaments from him.

According to police, Krishna C, 40, a resident of JP Nagar 8th Phase, had opened accounts with banks in Bangalore and Tumkur with the intention of defrauding gullible persons. Police said he promised to secure personal loans for them, besides huge profits in the insurance business.

He collected 10 percent of the promised loan amount and returned it in a short time as “dividend amount.” Days later, however, he would convince his clients to invest bigger sums of money in insurance business and make quick bucks.

“He collected cheques in his name towards insurance, withdrew money from banks and gave a portion to those who had sought personal loans,” police said. “He had been cheating people for the last few years, even defrauding judicial officers with his schemes.”