Assam woman dies of burn injuries; husband arrested amid property dispute allegation

A woman in Assam’s Sonitpur district died of severe burn injuries on Wednesday, a day after reportedly setting herself on fire following a domestic quarrel. 

Her husband has been arrested in connection with the incident, police said.

According to Sonitpur Superintendent of Police Barun Purakayastha, the tragic incident took place at Bam Parbatia in Tezpur on Tuesday night, after a heated argument broke out between the woman and her husband.

“According to neighbours, the woman poured kerosene on herself and set herself afire. However, her family has alleged that she was set ablaze by her husband,” SP Purakayastha said.

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The woman was rushed to a private hospital in critical condition, but succumbed to her injuries the next morning.

“We had detained her husband last night and formally arrested him after her demise. An investigation is underway,” the SP added.

The deceased has been identified as Meghali Saikia. Her mother has claimed that the incident was linked to a dispute over property, suggesting that her daughter was killed due to ongoing tensions.

The police are probing all angles, including the possibility of foul play, while awaiting the post-mortem and forensic reports to determine the exact cause of death.