Driver sets self on fire, tries to kill employer

A driver set himself on fire and tried to kill his employer because she turned down his marriage proposal.

A driver set himself on fire and tried to kill his employer because she turned down his marriage proposal.

HT Image

While Dilip Dighe died on the spot, Vaishali Palaav, who sustained 95% burns, is battling for her life. Dighe used to work for Palaav, a widow, who had rented her Indica to a travel agency.

On Wednesday, at 1.30am, Dighe, who lived with Palaav at her Morivali Pada residence in Ambarnath (East), set himself on fire in the yard. Hearing his screams, Palaav tried to help him, but he grabbed her.

Inspector Gautam Deshmukh of the Shivajinagar police station said relatives told them that Dighe was in love with Palav and would repeatedly ask her to marry him, but she would refuse saying she was not ready.

Frustrated, he might have decided to take such a drastic step, he added. Palaav is in the ICU at Central hospital.