“Rambabu aur Sunil ne mujhe jala dia. Beta, mujhe bacha le!” That’s what 10-year-old Azharuddin heard his father scream while bounding down the stairs.

Father Jaimul Abedin, 45, died of his burns in hospital on Monday. Abedin, an autorickshaw-driver, was set ablaze on Sunday by a private financier for defaulting on repayments of a loan taken to purchase the vehicle.

Abedin was admitted to Calcutta Medical College and Hospital with 90 per cent burns on Sunday afternoon, and shifted to SSKM Hospital as his condition worsened. “He died on Monday morning and the body has been sent for post-mortem,” said Timir Bhattacharya, officer-in-charge, Jorasanko police station.

Financier Rambabu Jain and employee Sunil were arrested on charges of murder. “We had started an attempt-to-murder case on Sunday, but amended it after Abedin’s death. The court has granted police custody of the duo,” Bhattacharya added.

Abedin bought the auto with a loan taken from Rohit Finance Corporation a year ago. He had defaulted on the last nine instalments and was summoned on Sunday to the company office.

Azharuddin, the eldest of Abedin’s three children, who accompanied his father, said: “Two men, claiming to be police officers, took away the auto forcibly on Thursday. They asked my father to go to the police station to reclaim his vehicle. Later, one of them dropped by at home and told my father to go and meet Rambabu at his office.”

At the office, Azharuddin recounts that a quarrel broke out and he went downstairs to fetch his uncle. Next thing, he saw his father ablaze.

Rambabu’s neighbour Rajesh Jaiswal, however, said Abedin set himself on fire. “He did not go upstairs to the office. Instead, he walked into the ground-floor toilet and immolated himself.”

Rajiv Kumar, deputy commissioner (central), said investigation was on. “A dying statement is considered prime evidence. But we are looking into circumstantial evidence as well,” he said.