A 55-year-old bed-ridden man was set ablaze by his drunkard son at their residence in Indranagar of Gachibowli here on Tuesday.
The victim, Durga Rao, who suffered 65% burns, died while undergoing treatment at Osmania Hospital in the late hours on Tuesday.
According to Gachibowli inspector G Suresh, the accused, Naga Babu, 35, along with his mother Mahalakshmi, was working as gardening labour at IDBI Leaning Centre. Rao too used to work there but due to ill-health for the past five months, he quit the job.
“Naga Babu was addicted to alcohol and frequently used to pick up quarrels with his parents for various reasons, including for not getting him married,” he said.
Due to his addiction to toddy, his salary was also being handed over to his mother, and it was also one of the reasons for his frustration.
On Tuesday morning, when Mahalakshmi left home to work, Naga Babu went to the toddy compound and returned home around 2 p.m. “He noticed his father fast asleep, doused him with kerosene and set him on fire. He left home by locking the door from outside” Mr. Suresh said. They live in a rented accommodation on the first flood of a building.
Upon noticing the smoke and hearing Rao’s continuous screaming, neighbours broke open the door, doused the flames, and shifted him to OGH, where he succumbed around 11 p.m.
A case was registered and teams were formed to nab Naga Babu.