Sources said Tarufa's neighbours noticed the blaze in her thatched hut at around 3:00am and rushed to douse the fire. Afterwards, the old woman was found dead on her bed, her body partially burnt.

Police suspect Tarufa might have been murdered before her house was set on fire. They said the attack was intended to create a diversion from last Monday's murder of one Sadek and arrested Tarufa's nephew Bazlu in this connection.

Sadek, a farmer and a tenant of one advocate Taher, was murdered allegedly by Tarufa's son Motaleb following a land dispute between him and Taher.

Tarufa's arrested nephew Bazle accused Taher of murdering the old women in revenge for Sadek's murder, saying he had seen Taher's men running away from the burning house.

The body was sent to the morgue for autopsy. Police said a case murder case would be filed soon.