Faridabad, Oct 21 (NDTV): Seven policemen who were deployed for the security of Dalits at a Haryana village, about 40 km from the national capital, have been suspended after two young children were burnt alive as their house was set on fire, allegedly by members of an upper caste community.

The children's father has alleged that around about 2 am on Monday, their house in Sonped was attacked by members of Thakur community, with whom they had a long-running quarrel. "We were sleeping when they poured petrol through the window. I smelt the petrol and tried to wake my wife but by then the fire had started. My children died in the fire," said Jitender, 31, who was injured in the attack.

His wife Rekha, 28, is in a hospital in Delhi with 70 per cent burns. His two-and-a-half year old son Vaibhav and daughter Divya, 11 months old, died in the fire. Post-mortem of both the children will be conducted at a Delhi hospital today. Their bodies will be handed over to the family later in the day.

Three people accused in the case have been arrested so far and eight others are absconding. The village, which is dominated by Thakurs and has only a few Dalit families, is tense and security has been tightened, the police said.

A special police team was posted in the village about a year ago after a similar attack, relatives of the victims claim.

According to Jitender's brother Shiv Kumar, last year in October, three people from the Thakurs were killed in a scuffle that broke out between the two communities over allegations of a stolen cellphone and their relative Dalbir was sent to jail. Two months later, Jitender's family was allegedly attacked and their home was burnt down.

"But they were not home and only their cattle was killed. Since then, constables were assigned to guard Jitender and his family," Shiv Kumar said.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi is expectedly to meet the family today. Haryana is governed by the BJP, which also leads the ruling coalition at the Centre.