JODHPUR: The wife and the daughter of an Army personnel were found dead under mysterious circumstances in their official quarter in Rajasthan's Jodhpur early on Sunday, police said.
The charred remains of 25-year-old Rukmeena and her two-year-old daughter Riddhima were found on a bed, they said.
Rukmeena's husband Ram Prasad has claimed that the pair died in a fire triggered by a short circuit. Ram Prasad has been apprehended by the police.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (East) Amrita Duahn said the woman's relatives have been informed and the post-mortem will be done once they reach Jodhpur.
Sikkim native Ram Prasad married Rukmeena, who belonged to Nepal, three years ago.
A Naik in the Indian Army, Ram Prasad moved to Jodhpur with his family about two years ago and had been living in the military quarters.
"At 5 am on Sunday, we received information that two people had burnt to death in the Army quarters. We rushed to the spot and found the woman and her daughter lying on the bed in a completely charred condition," Duhan said.
Ram Prasad was also present in the house and had burn marks on his hands, she said.
According to sources, he has claimed that he tried to save his wife and their daughter but could not and ran out of the house for help. Duhan said a case is being registered against Ram Prasad under Section 302 (murder) of the Indian Penal Code at Ratanada police station.
"We are not in a position to arrive at any conclusion until the post-mortem is conducted," Duhan said and added that a forensics team was called to the spot.