Man kills father, sets gas cylinder afire injuring 11 policemen

A man here on Sunday stabbed his father to death, attacked his mother and set afire the kitchen gas cylinder which exploded leaving injured 13 people, including 11 police personnel who had reached the spot.

The incident occurred at Madhu Vihar locality in east Delhi in the afternoon where Rahul Mata, in his 30s, killed his father R.P. Mata, a retired financial sector employee, by stabbing him several times with a knife, police said.

Rahul then attacked his mother, Renu Mata, with the same knife when she tried to save her husband.

He also threatened neighbours and security guards of the housing society when they reached his flat, hearing the commotion.

Responding to a call made at around 2.30 p.m., a police team reached the fourth floor residence in Ajanta Apartments after which Rahul locked himself up in the kitchen and set the cooking gas cylinder on fire.

The cylinder exploded injuring 11 policemen, Rahul and his neighbour.

"As soon as the police team reached his flat, Rahul locked himself in the kitchen and opened the cylinder's knob to release the gas. He set the cylinder on fire when the police team tried to break open the door," Deputy Commissioner of Police Omvir Singh told IANS.

"Despite their injuries, my officers acted bravely and overpowered him. Had they (the policemen) not caught him, he would have killed other persons," the official said.

--IANS

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