Pretoria, April 10 (IANS): An Indian-origin man is suspected to have killed his four-year-old grandson in what authorities believe to be a murder-suicide case in South Africa's Gauteng province, media reported.

Juguthlay Jhawier Persadh, 64, on Wednesday took his grandson Shivan Mikyle Maharaj from the family home in Randfontein city and drove to a nearby field before he allegedly set the car alight, The New Age daily reported on Thursday citing a police officer.

Police tried to save them but failed. "When I arrived at the scene, the car was in flames. After extinguishing the fire, I saw the man was lying on his face in the back seat and the child was in his arms. They had been burnt beyond recognition. It was very traumatic," a police officer was quoted as saying.

Neighbours believe that the tragedy was triggered by family problems.

"Over the past two months, the family was arguing a lot. There were screams from their house, even last week they were fighting," 74-year-old Ayesha Nanabhai said.

It is believed that Persadh had asked his son-in-law to move out of the house.

"They had been arguing for a while and he recently told his daughter's husband to move out of the house.

"He then threatened that he was going to kill the child," a neighbour who refused to be identified, said.

Police have ordered an inquest to establish the motive behind the tragedy.