Ex-Merchant Navy official stabs father to death, then sets house ablaze

A major massacre was averted when a former Merchant Navy official, reportedly mentally unstable, went on a stabbing spree, as he killed his father and injured several others in East Delhi’s Madhu Vihar area on Sunday.

Later on when the police reached the spot, the accused, Rahul Matta, in a fit of rage, locked himself in a flat at Ajanta apartments and set it ablaze after he released a gas valve. A total of nine policemen were injured out of which five of them sustained critical burn injuries and are said to be critical.

His father, Ravinder Matta, later succumbed to his injuries at Max hospital on Sunday. The five other policemen who were caught in the blaze, have sustained grievous burn injuries, and are said to be in a critical condition. His rampage was put to an end, as the policemen, managed to subdue him, and rescued him from the flames.

According to Deputy Commissioner of Police (East Delhi), Omvir Singh, “We came to know about this incident at 2:31 pm. The secretary of the apartment had informed us that the accused, had stabbed his father and later on had attacked neighbours who tried to intervene. A team was immediately dispatched to the spot”.

Rahul, was barred from entering the apartments, as he had a dispute with the father. That did not deter him, as he barged into the apartment after he assaulted the security guard. He made his way to the second floor of the apartment and entered his flat.

Minutes later, his father’s agonizing screams could be heard, as Rahul attacked him with a knife used to cut open coconuts. Hearing, his cries for help, Renu Bansal, their neighbour, tried to inquire, and saw Rahul,  attacking his father in a fit of rage.

She tried to save him, but Rahul, went on to assault Renu, and attacked her with the weapon. She sustained injuries to her face. The police reached the spot, but Rahul, had barged his way into a neighbour’s flat.

But the rampage did not end as Rahul threatened the police by telling them that he had opened the gas valve and would burn down the flat.

“When these threats were issued, we immediately evacuated people residing in 16 blocks in the area. The Delhi Fire Service was contacted and we also asked the PNG officials to cut the gas line,” Omvir added.

When the police failed to reason with Rahul, they broke into the flat. However, to their horror, they found Rahul, had lit a match, after which a fire broke out. Five policemen were injured as they were caught in the flames, however, they managed to rescue Rahul, who sustained burn injuries to his hand. The injured were taken to Max hospital, where Ravinder Matta succumbed to his injuries. Four Sub Inspectors suffered grievous burn injuries, with SI Nishant, Manish suffering 43 and 41 percent burn injuries. Two additional sub-inspectors and a constable also sustained burn injuries.

The investigators are now trying to ascertain what transpired between the father and son that led to this horrific turn of events. 

“His son seems to be mentally unstable and had strained ties with his father. Rahul was reportedly dismissed from the Merchant Navy. If the police did not act on time, then a major massacre would have taken place. We will question his mother, who was not present during the incident, to further shed light on the case,” Omvir added.