23-yr-old sets house on fire; fall to death in W Delhi

A 23-year-old woman died on Wednesday after allegedly setting her house on fire and later falling from the third floor of the building in west Delhi’s Hari Nagar, police said

A 23-year-old woman died on Wednesday after allegedly setting her house on fire and later falling from the third floor of the building in west Delhi’s Hari Nagar, police said. The woman had quit her job days before the incident and was reportedly stressed over the custody of her child following her separation from her husband.

Woman had quit her job days before the incident and was reportedly stressed over the custody of her child following her separation from her husband, say police (Representative photo)

Police said preliminary inquiry suggests the woman started the fire, but investigation is underway to ascertain the exact cause and how she fell. The woman’s family and in-laws are being questioned, police said.

Deputy commissioner of police (west) Hareshwar Swami said a call was received Wednesday afternoon that a woman had fallen from the third floor of a burning building. She was rushed to DDU Hospital by locals but later succumbed to her injuries.

The woman’s father told police she married in 2023 and had a son, DCP Swami said. Due to marital issues, she left her husband’s house about two years ago and had been living with her parents. She worked at a clothing store in Uttam Nagar but had left her job four to five days before the incident. Her father said she had been under significant stress, particularly over the custody of her child. The woman’s family said her husband’s family wanted custody of their grandson, which she opposed.

No suicide note was found. The body has been preserved for post-mortem examination, the DCP said. Police suspect the woman set fire to her room before falling from the third floor.