A man allegedly attempted to burn his daughter-in-law for giving birth to a baby girl in the Damarpur village of Odisha's Kendrapara district.
Prafulla Ray, 75, allegedly purchased petrol from a nearby village, poured it on the bed, and set it ablaze with the intent to kill his daughter-in-law and her newborn.
The woman, identified as Susmita, was sleeping when she came under attack from her father-in-law.
The sudden blaze engulfed the room, destroying all the household belongings. Susmita picked up her infant daughter and managed to escape the room in time. They spent the entire night outside the house to stay safe.
Susmita, a native of Nischintakoili Balipada village, married Susanta Ray of Damarpur village eight years ago. Her husband, Sushant, already has two daughters from a previous marriage.
After Susmita gave birth to a daughter, she was allegedly subjected to continuous physical and mental harassment by her husband and in-laws.
Shrikant Barik, IIC of Pattamundai Rural Police Station, told NDTV that officers arrived at the scene promptly after being notified of the incident. He confirmed that police have started an investigation to confirm the details, and a scientific team is also visiting the site.
The father-in-law has been arrested, and a case was registered following a complaint by the victim's sister, Kanakalata Ray, under several sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and Section 4 of the Dowry Prohibition Act.
Last year in August, a 15-year-old girl from the Puri district died while undergoing treatment at AIIMS Delhi after being set on fire by three men.
On the morning of July 19, 2025, three people set fire to the 15-year-old on the banks of the Bhargavi River in Puri district. After sustaining 75% burn injuries, she was initially treated at AIIMS Bhubaneswar before being airlifted to AIIMS Delhi on July 20, 2025.
With Inputs From Dev Kumar Ghosh
