HYDERABAD: A 25-year-old painter, who had killed a 30-year-old woman who was in relationship with him, was arrested on Monday. Rakesh alias Rakesh Rai had set Syed Shannu ablaze with kerosene when she refused to marry him. Shannu, a mother of two kids, succumbed to more than 98 per cent burns she sustained.
According to the police, Shannu, along with her two children, had been residing with her father at Boduppal after her husband had deserted her eight years ago. Recently, she met Rakesh, who lives in the same colony, and developed friendship with him which later turned into an extra-marital affair. Since then they had been meeting frequently. On July 27, after Shannu’s father Shaik Mahmood left home for work, Rakesh went to meet Shannu who was alone.
He told her that he wanted to marry her but she declined him, saying that she was already a mother of two children and could not marry him. When he pressurised her, an argument broke out between them. An infuriated Rakesh emptied kerosene from a bottle and set her afire. Hearing her cries, neighbours rushed to her aid and took her to a hospital with more than 98 per cent burns but she died on the same day. Acting on a tip-off, police nabbed Rakesh in UP. During interrogation he confessed to the crime, said G Sundeep, assistant commissioner of police, Malkajgiri.