BENGALURU: As per the complaint of Parul Mahensaria, wife of Ritesh Kumar, who accidently burned himself to death, about 4-5 months after he had begun asking for the money, Kumar went to the institute at JP Nagar 2nd Phase and confronted Bajaj. A police official said Kumar had doused himself with petrol inside the institute, and threatened to set himself ablaze if Bajaj did not refund the entire amount.
Bajaj reportedly tried to calm him down. But to scare Bajaj, Kumar lit a matchstick without meaning to set himself afire. But Kumar’s petrol-doused clothes caught fire even as Bajaj tried to save Kumar, police said. Bajaj too sustained burn injuries in the process, the official said.
After the fire was doused, both of them were taken to Victoria Hospital for treatment. However, Kumar died at 10.30 am on Friday, while Bajaj, who sustained 18 per cent burn injuries, is under treatment, the police said.
An FIR has been registered at JP Nagar police station, and Bajaj has been charged with abetting suicide and cheating. However, Parul said she does not believe the police version and has alleged that Bajaj forced her husband to immolate himself.