14-Year-Old Allegedly Sets Father on Fire After Confrontation Over Theft

Faridabad: A shocking incident unfolded in Faridabad’s Ajay Nagar Part 2, where a 14-year-old boy allegedly set his father on fire after being reprimanded for suspected theft. The incident, which took place around 1:30 AM on Tuesday, prompted an immediate police search, leading to the boy’s capture within hours. Despite the efforts of fire officials, the man did not survive.

The landlord, Riyazuddin, recounted that he was startled awake around 2 AM by the desperate screams of 55-year-old Mohammad Aleem. Attempting to reach the terrace, where Aleem and his son resided in a rented room, Riyazuddin discovered the door was locked. With assistance from a neighbor, he managed to access the terrace, only to find the room engulfed in flames and its entrance secured from the outside. Aleem’s distressing cries filled the air, but by the time they gained entry, he had succumbed to severe burns. Meanwhile, the teenager fled by leaping into a neighboring house. Officials apprehended the juvenile suspect after he allegedly locked his father in a room before setting it on fire.

Police investigations suggest that Aleem had confronted his son over missing money from his pocket, which might have triggered the violent act. Authorities believe that, in a fit of rage, the boy doused his father with a flammable substance and set him on fire. He has since been taken into custody for interrogation.

Aleem, originally from Mirzapur in Uttar Pradesh, had moved to Faridabad with his son in September of the previous year. They rented a terrace room in Riyazuddin’s house. Aleem made a living by collecting donations for religious institutions and selling items like mosquito nets at weekly markets. His wife had passed away years ago, and his other four children, all married, lived separately.

Investigators are examining whether the victim died due to burns or asphyxiation. Neighbors reported that Aleem often reprimanded his son for stealing money and skipping school. On the night of the incident, the landlord, who lived on the ground floor, awoke to cries for help. When he and other neighbors attempted to intervene, they found the entrance barricaded.

Ranveer Singh, the Station House Officer of Palla police station, confirmed that fire services were alerted, but by the time the flames were extinguished, only the charred remains of Aleem were found. A forensic team later established that an accelerant had been used to ignite the fire.

Assistant Commissioner of Police (Crime) Aman Yadav stated that after gathering eyewitness accounts, authorities launched a search for the teenager. He was last seen fleeing the scene and was swiftly tracked down. The boy was presented before the Juvenile Justice Board and has since been placed in an observation home.

Authorities are now investigating whether the act was premeditated or driven by an impulsive burst of anger. “The father had kept warning the boy about his behavior. We are trying to determine if the attack stemmed from prolonged resentment or was an uncontrolled reaction,” Yadav added.

The victim’s body has been sent to Badshah Khan Civil Hospital for post-mortem examination, and legal proceedings are ongoing.

Dr. Himani Adarsh, Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist spoke with MedBound Times addressing the incident. The area that needs to be explored in this case is what led this adolescent to commit such an act. When people hear about crimes being committed by young children and adolescents, there are a lot of opinions in the general masses.

Dr. Himani says that, the important thing to understand is that usually there are multifactorial causes for these incidents. Throughout a child's development, several risk and protective factors interact with one another. Some risk factors are - physical abuse, sexual abuse, neglect early in childhood, witnessing violence in the family, coercive interactions between children and parents, parental substance use, parental antisocial personality and to add upon some genetic factors. Also, social factors like poverty, low socioeconomic class, unemployment, poor housing, residing in violent neighborhoods & overcrowded living conditions act as risk factors. Research in this field has demonstrated that those children and adolescents who underwent such multiple adverse childhood experiences, tend to develop oppositional-defiant, aggressive, and impulsive behaviors. This can lead to an early onset of Conduct disorder (CD). CD involves repetitive and persistent patterns of behavior in which others’ rights or major age-appropriate norms are violated, as indicated by aggression toward people or animals, destruction of property, deceitfulness or theft, or serious rule violations, explains Dr. Himani.

In general, these incidents are increasing and gaining the attention of the common masses. Easy accessibility to violent materials on social media, and games with violent content somewhat also contribute to the development of aggression in the young generation. Individuals, especially adolescents, are more likely to mimic behaviors they see their peers engaging in, both online and offline.

Dr. Himani states that focusing on early to middle childhood, parenting quality is the most economical way to treat CD. We need to work on increasing awareness about behavioral disorders, increasing parental warmth, and positive reinforcement, improving family functioning and parenting skills, increasing the adolescent’s association with prosocial peers, and improving their social, emotional regulation, problem-solving skills, school performance, and overall community support. Several modifiable environmental and individual risk factors for CD could be targeted early in life by preventive work. Some protective factors are good parent-child relationships, good self-esteem, competence in activities, good social competence, prosocial friendships, availability of opportunities to work, safe schools, safe neighborhoods, and community support. She says, by addressing the underlying causes of behavioral issues early in childhood is likely to have a significant positive impact on the patients, their families, and society as a whole. Whenever possible they should be provided with adequate treatment and adequate opportunities for rehabilitation.

According to Dr. Himani, the concerned authority should provide a provision for a detailed psychiatric assessment and associated management. There is a need to have a detailed assessment of the adolescent family history, early childhood, and past behaviors of a similar nature. His behavior at school, with peers, substance use, and psychiatric disorders. Why was he stealing, the associated factors that encouraged him to do so and his current mental state should be assessed whether it was an impulsive or a well-planned act. In India, the legal process and the committee responsible for handling children in conflict with the law are covered under The Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Amendment Act, 2021.

(Input from various media sources)

By Sai Sindhuja K