3 arrested for setting ablaze two men asleep on pavement

Three youths were today arrested for allegedly setting ablaze two persons, including an autorickshaw driver who succumbed to burn injuries, while they were asleep on the pavement in Secunderabad.
Auto driver Anand Pandhari Panchal (55), a native of Beed district of Maharashtra, was set ablaze by the trio in Mahankali area of Secunderabad in the wee hours of April 2, police said, adding, he succumbed to his injuries.
Narsing Rao, a coconut vendor, who was also set ablaze by the accused on the same day, was out of danger, they said.
Mohd Amer, Syed Abdul Akheel and Mohd Anwar, all residents of Hafeezbaba Nagar at Chandrayangutta here, were arrested this morning from Secunderabad railway station while they were trying to flee, Assistant Commissioner of Police (Mahankali Division) V Thirupathi said.

The accused were liquor addicts and used to frequently take service of commercial sex workers, he said.
"During the investigation, we came to know that some pavement dwellers and rickshaw drivers had assaulted the trio in the past for engaging commercial sex workers out in the open. As a result, the accused had developed hatred for autodrivers and pavement dwellers in general," the ACP said.

On April 2, the trio found Rao sleeping on the pavement in Old Bhoiguda area, following which they set him ablaze.
"Anwar ordered Akheel to pour petrol on Rao, and Amer set him on fire with a match stick," the senior police officer said, adding that Panchal, who was sleeping on the pavement neart the Bata bus-stop, was set ablaze in a similar manner.

"Based on scientific evidence and CCTV footage, the accused were finally nabbed," the ACP added.