Daijiworld Media Network - Hassan (SP)

Hassan, Jul 14: Perhaps due to family dispute, a woman and her two-year-old child were killed due to fire at Shiradanahalli in Arkalgud taluk in the district on Monday July 13.

Sumitra (25), and her daughter, Vijayalaxmi (2), lost lives in this tragedy. Sumitra's father, Shivanna, has filed a police complaint, alleging that his son-in-law, Halappa, and other family members had poured kerosene on his daughter and started fire as their demand for dowry was not met.

Both Halappa and Sumitra happen to be holding MA B Ed degrees. The financial condition of the family is not good, as both failed to land lucrative jobs. It has been three years since the two got married. The family depends on agriculture and dairying for maintenance. Halappa, who used to work as teacher in a private high school, had recently resigned and started working as outsourced contract worker in the tobacco market office at Ramanathapura.

Sumitra had appeared for test to land teacher's job recently. She wanted to get appointed as FDA and was desirous of undergoing training for the same. Halappa says his wife had burnt herself to death as he refused permission for the training on the basis of financial problems.

'I heard shouts from the upper floor of the house. I rushed there and found that Sumitra had poured kerosene on herself and the child and torched herself. Although I poured water on them, it did not help. Both died on the spot,' he claimed. Shivanna however, stood his ground, alleging that Halappa and his parents had killed his daughter and granddaughter for dowry.

The police suspect that the couple would have fought over the issue of sending Sumitra for training, after which physical assault would have happened, resulting in this death. They have undertaken investigation to determine whether it was a case of murder or suicide.