Sole breadwinner son burns alive in Shahdol:Fire broke out in house, mother kept screaming for help; investigation underway

A fire broke out in Shahdol where an 18-year-old youth was burnt alive after in a mud house. His mother was present at the spot but was unable to save him, watching helplessly as her son died in front of her eyes. The incident occurred at around 3 am on Saturday in Kathotia village, under the jurisdiction of Kotwali police station. According to the police, Geeta Patel (45) was sleeping in one room of the house, while her son Amit (18) was sleeping in another room. Suddenly, the house caught fire. Fire spreads rapidly, youth trapped inside When Geeta noticed the flames, she rushed outside to save herself, but Amit remained trapped inside his room. She began screaming for help, but as it was late at night, most villagers were asleep. Within moments, the fire spread rapidly towards Amit’s room. Amit screamed for help as the flames engulfed the room. Neighbours rushed to the spot after hearing the cries, but the fire was so intense that no one could enter the room. By the time help arrived, Amit had already died. Fire brigade controls blaze, body sent for post-mortem After receiving information, police and fire brigade teams reached the spot and managed to bring the fire under control. By then, the entire house had been reduced to ashes. Amit’s body was found badly burnt and was sent to the district hospital by ambulance for post-mortem examination. Preliminary investigation suggests that dry grass stored in the attic above Amit’s room may have caused the fire to spread quickly. Victim was sole breadwinner of the family Amit earned his livelihood by running a small vegetable stall and was the only support for his mother. The family had already faced several hardships. One of Geeta’s sons had left home years ago and never returned, while her husband had died by suicide nearly ten years ago. The incident has left the village in deep shock, and an investigation is underway to determine the exact cause of the fire.