Mumbai, May 9 (Mid-day) : A 31-year-old Kandivli resident’s attempt to smooth things over with his estranged wife and meet his two young kids led to him being beaten up with bamboo sticks and set ablaze by 13 people from his wife’s family, including her parents and brother.

Rohit Dharamsingh Patel suffered 60% burns and his condition is said to be critical. Police said Patel, who ran a stationery shop in Kandivli (West), had an arranged marriage with Daya, a resident of Adhoi village in Gujarat’s Kutch district, 8 years ago.

The couple have two children, son Palak (6) and daughter Rizva (7). They began having problems in 2012 and Daya went to live with her family in Adhoi. Patel, however, had been making repeated attempts to bring his wife back home and meet his children. He used to also send them money every month.

One of Patel’s relatives said, “Rohit was depressed ever since they split and he wanted to meet his kids and his wife, Daya, but his in-laws refused to allow him to go to the village and had warned him against doing so. He ignored their warning and landed up in Adhoi last week. He met his kids and, when he tried to meet Daya, 13 of his in-laws, including Daya’s parents and brother, attacked him with bamboo sticks.”

“They then doused Rohit in petrol and set him ablaze. He suffered 60% burns and was initially admitted to the Vagad Welfare hospital in Kutch. He was shifted to the Airoli-based National Burns Centre on Thursday and doctors say that his condition is critical,” he added.

Booked

The Adhoi-based Shamkhiyadi police have registered a case against the 13 in-laws. Sub-Inspector S Jadhav of the Shamkhiyadi police said, “We registered a case against 13 people of the wife’s family members under Indial Penal Code Sections 307 (Attempt to murder) and 34 (Common intention) and arrested one Shivendra Dharamsingh, while the others are absconding.

The other accused have been identified as Dharamsingh Bechara, Vishan Bechara, Yogesh Dharamsingh, Shivji Jaga, Raghu Shivji, Ratiben Dharamsingh, Rajiben Bhatak, Kanta Mandrona, Ganga Van, Laxmi Wavia, Binita Shivendra and Wagha Nor.”