JOHANNESBURG (TIP): In a bizarre incident, a 64-year-old Indian-origin man took his four -year-old grandson to a car and set it ablaze with them both in it 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 on Thursday, April 9, informing 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 neighbor 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 them that he was going to kill their child,” a neighbor, 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 neighbor 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 that the police were currently conducting inquest to find the motive behind the tragedy.