NEW DELHI: A man in the national capital alleged that his 26-year-old sister, who is 7 months pregnant, was allegedly set on fire by her in-laws after which she suffered superficial burn injuries, an official said on Monday. The incident took place on January 6 in Delhi’s Bawana area.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (outer north) Devesh Kumar Mahla said a PCR call was received around 10 am at Bawana police station in which the caller stated that his sister has been set on fire by her in-laws and she has been taken to Dr Baba Saheb Ambedkar Hospital.
After receiving the call, the staff of Bawana police station reached the said hospital where the injured woman, identified as Khushboo, was undergoing medical treatment. In her statement to the police, the woman stated that she was sitting near a bonfire with her husband and another boy. “The bonfire was about to extinguish, so the boy threw thinner into the fire to increase the flames. The flames got suddenly violent and she suffered burns,” the DCP said, adding that her ‘this statement’ was also video recorded.
The woman was later transferred to Safdarjung hospital where she is still undergoing treatment. “She had suffered superficial burn injuries on her face, hand and other limbs,” the official said. He said in the accident, the woman’s husband Veer Pratap also suffered burn injuries on both legs and left hand and he is also undergoing treatment at Safdarjung hospital.
“Contrary to the statement of victim Khushboo, her brother Sandeep alleged that she was being harassed by her in-laws and was burnt by them,” DCP Mahla said. Meanwhile, the incident was first brought to light by Delhi Commission for Women chairperson Swati Maliwal, who said the woman has given a statement before the SDM where she said that her husband burnt her.
“We will register FIR under 307 and 498A IPC. The husband is still in the hospital due to burn injuries. Therefore, there is no arrest as of now. No allegations are levelled against in-laws from her,” said the DCP.