J-K: BSF jawan commits suicide after setting wife on fire

The first wife of the BSF jawan was murdered 20 years ago by his elder brother, who also later committed suicide.

A BSF head constable allegedly set his wife on fire and later committed suicide by jumping in front of a train in Kathua district of Jammu and Kashmir, police said on Tuesday.

The BSF head constable was found dead at the railway track at Seswan. (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

Neelam Kumar, who was posted in 97 battalion of BSF in Samba district, allegedly murdered his wife Ritu Devi at their home and later set her afire in Seswan in Chadwal area of Kathua district yesterday, they said.

The BSF head constable was found dead at the railway track at Seswan, additional superintendent of police (ASP) Kathua, Khaleel Poswal said.

The body of Ritu, reportedly Kumar’s third wife, was found in semi-burnt condition near the house of the BSF jawan, he said.

The police officer said Ritu had made a complaint against her husband with the BSF authorities alleging that he was not paying her maintenance.

According to police, Kumar has another wife serving in the police department at Bakshi Nagar in Jammu. The couple also has two children.

The first wife of the deceased BSF jawan was murdered 20 years ago by his elder brother, who also later committed suicide, the officer said.

Kumar and Ritu were living together since last 7-8 years, he said.