Johannesburg: A 64-year-old Indian-origin man took his 4-year-old grandson in a car and set it ablaze in South Africa in a murder-suicide that has shocked the Indian township of Azaadville, west of Johannesburg.
Juguthlay Persadh is believed to have called his daughter and son-in-law shortly before the incident yesterday, advising them of what he was about to do.
Shivan Mikyle Maharaj's shocked parents had to be restrained by police from trying to get to the blazing car which was under threat of exploding.
They joined police in a frantic hunt to find the car, only to find it ablaze.
"Persadh had apparently been involved in a family dispute for several months," according to a neighbour who said "there were frequent late night arguments in the Persadh residence."
It is believed that Persadh had asked his son-in-law to move out of the house.
"They had been arguing for a while and he recently told his daughter's husband to move out of the house. He then threatened that he was going to kill their child," a neighbour who refused to be identified, said.
"I did not really believe that the threats were serious, but now I am shocked and wish I had intervened," the neighbour said.
A private security guard working near the field where the car was parked said he noticed that it was there for about an hour before he saw flames coming from it and summoned police.
He said after the fire was extinguished, he saw the charred bodies of the man on the back seat with the child lying in his arms.
Police spokesman Kay Makhubela said an inquest has been launched to find the motives behind the tragedy.