E-Paper
3 days after being set on fire, 29-year-old Ludhiana woman dies
The incident had taken place on January 14 just three days before her marriage
Three days after being set on fire by two masked men at her residence in Vishwakarma Puri, a 29-year-old woman succumbed to her injuries at Dayanand Medical College and Hospital (DMCH) on Saturday.
The victim, identified as Harpreet Kaur has suffered 90% burns.
The incident had taken place just three days before her marriage, on January 14 when the woman was going to the washroom after crossing the veranda.
According to the victim’s father, Harjinder Singh, they rushed to the veranda after hearing her cries. “When we reached the veranda, we were shocked to see our daughter engulfed in flames. We doused the flames and rushed her to hospital,” Harjinder had said in his statement to the police. He had also stated that he had seen two masked men fleeing the house.
POLICE PROBE POINTING TO SELF IMMOLATION
While initially, police had suspected the role of a jilted lover, they now say that the probe is pointing towards “self-immolation”.
Inspector Amarjeet Singh, Division Number 6 station house officer, said Harpreet’s marriage was scheduled for January 17 and the entire family, including some relatives, were at home preparing for the function. “So, it is not possible for attackers to hide inside the house beforehand. Moreover, we have checked the footage of multiple closed-circuit television cameras in the locality but no one was seen entering or exiting the victim’s house,” he said.
Sources in the investigation team revealed that the matchsticks found on the spot are of the same brand as those found inside the kitchen and temple of the victim’s house. Moreover, the victim’s father, who earlier stated that he had seen two persons running, denied seeing anyone.
Inspector Amarjeet Singh said the victim’s statement could not be recorded as she was not in a state to do so and as of now, the case has been registered under Section 302 (murder) of the Indian Penal Code.
Earlier, the police had suspected some jilted lover behind the incident and lodged a case of attempt to murder against two unidentified persons on the basis of the statement of the victim’s father but after preliminary investigation the police said that the probe is pointing towards 'self-immolation'.
