Woman set on fire by jilted lover in Secunderabad, dies

A 25-year-old Dalit woman, who was set ablaze on Thursday evening in full public view by her former colleague for refusing his marriage proposal, succumbed to burns on Friday morning, police said.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (North Zone) B Sumathi said the accused, Sai Karthik (aged around 28), a school dropout, poured petrol on the woman who was returning home from office and set her afire in Secunderabad's Lalaguda area, around 10 km from Hyderabad.

He was arrested on Friday and booked for murder, Sumathi said at a press conference.

The woman, who belonged to a scheduled caste, worked as an accountant in an aluminium fabrication unit where Karthik also worked for one year before being sacked by the management as his conduct was 'not good', she said.

"Karthik studied only up to class 7. He and the woman knew each other. When he proposed to marry her, she refused," the DCP said.

"Last night, he followed the woman on his motorcycle when she was on her way home after office. He got into an argument with her as to why she refused to marry him," the official said.

"During the argument, he poured petrol on her and set her on fire," she said.

Hearing her cries, some passersby rushed to her aid and put out the fire.

The woman suffered 64 per cent burns and was immediately shifted to Gandhi Hospital in Secunderabad, Sumathi said.

"She died around 7.30 am while undergoing treatment. We registered a murder case and will produce the accused in court," the official said.

The victim, in her dying declaration, said she was being pressured by the accused to marry him, she added.

The police had yesterday registered a case under Indian Penal Code Section 307 (attempt to murder).

However, the Lalaguda police today booked the man under relevant IPC sections pertaining to murder, outraging the modesty of a woman and SC/ST Atrocities (Prevention) Act, Sumathi said.

The DCP also said that they are analysing the messages and call data record in the victim's phone for further probe in the case.

IMAGE: Sai Karthik in police custody in Hyderabad on Friday. Photograph: ANI