my $pid = fork; 
if ($pid > 0){ 

     eval{ 
         local $SIG{ALRM} = sub {kill 9, -$PID; die "TIMEOUT!"}; 
         alarm $num_secs_to_timeout; 
         waitpid($pid, 0); 
         alarm 0; 
     }; 

} elsif($pid == 0){ 
       setpgrp(0,0); 
       exec('echo blahblah | program_of_interest'); 
       exit(0); 
}