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Grandfather Charged in Deadly Fire

Indian caste dispute suspected in Chicago blaze that kills 3

By Michael O'Connor,  Newser User

Posted Jan 2, 2008 5:40 PM CST

(Newser) – In the third case since August of a Chicago-area Indian family using fire in a domestic dispute, a 57-year old who disapproved of his daughter's marriage was charged Monday night with murdering his pregnant daughter, son-in-law, and grandson by setting fire to their apartment building. Subhash Chander told police he disliked his son-in-law, who came from a lower caste, the Chicago Tribune reports.

A gas-station attendant in the southern suburb of Oak Forest told authorities Chander bought gasoline in a container just prior to the blaze. The suspect admitted to returning to his own apartment building after the fire started and discarding the remaining fuel. The three died of carbon monoxide poisoning; no one else in the 36-unit building was injured.

A photo provided by the family via the Southtown Star shows Monika Rani, 22, of Oak Forest, Ill.,who died in an apartment fire late Saturday, Dec. 29, 2007. Also killed in the fire were her husband Rajesh Kumar, 36, and their 3-year-old son, Vansh. Rani was five months pregnant....
A photo provided by the family via the Southtown Star shows Monika Rani, 22, of Oak Forest, Ill.,who died in an apartment fire late Saturday, Dec. 29, 2007. Also killed in the fire were her husband Rajesh...   (Associated Press)
A photo released by the Oak Forest (Ill.) Police Department shows Subhash Chander, a 57-year-old native of India living in Oak Forest. Chander was charged Tuesday, Jan. 1, 2008, on three counts of first-degree murder, one count of intentional homicide of an unborn child and one count of aggravated...
A photo released by the Oak Forest (Ill.) Police Department shows Subhash Chander, a 57-year-old native of India living in Oak Forest. Chander was charged Tuesday, Jan. 1, 2008, on three counts of first-degree...   (Associated Press)
Emergency personnel look over the scene Wednesday, Jan. 2, 2008, in Oak Forest, Ill., where a fire late Saturday night at an apartment complex killed three people. On Tuesday, Jan. 1, 2008, Subhash Chander, a 57-year-old native of India living in Oak Forest. Chander was charged with the deaths of...
Emergency personnel look over the scene Wednesday, Jan. 2, 2008, in Oak Forest, Ill., where a fire late Saturday night at an apartment complex killed three people. On Tuesday, Jan. 1, 2008, Subhash Chander,...   (Associated Press)
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