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One held in murder of NRI man, daughter

May 30, 2007 18:59 IST

California authorities have detained a 22-year-old man in connection with the deaths of an Indian man and his daughter.

The police had found the burned bodies of Jayprakash Dhanak and his 20-year-old daughter Karishma Dhanak last week in Orange County.

The police took Iftekhar Murtaza of Los Angeles into custody in Arizona after they found out that he was planning to leave the United States, sources said.

Officials of the US Marshals detained Murtaza at the Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport.

Authorities said they haven't filed charges.

On May 22, the Dhanak family home was set ablaze and the mother, Leela, was found unconscious and badly beaten.

Several hours later, the bodies were found along a nearby hiking trail.

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