A woman died of severe burn injuries in Assam's Tezpur today. Her family claimed the 42-year-old woman was set on fire by her husband. The 45-year-old man was arrested from Pahumara Chuburi in Sonitpur district, where the incident took place.
Meghali Saikia had more than 80 percent burn injuries.
The woman's family claimed her husband, identified Jayanta Saikia, allegedly poured petrol on her and set her on fire after a heated argument. But the man's family claimed the woman set herself on fire.
They said that Jayanta Saikia's brother sustained burn injuries while trying to save her.
The woman's family, meanwhile, alleged that this was a premeditated murder and demanded a thorough investigation into whether others were involved in the crime. Police, however, maintained that they are awaiting forensic reports and witness testimonies before drawing any conclusions.
The police said that the accused fled after the incident but was caught on Wednesday.
"The accused fled after the incident but was apprehended during a police operation early Wednesday. A case has been registered at Tezpur Police Station (case no. 548/25) under section 103 (murder) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). The investigations are ongoing to ascertain whether Jayanta poured petrol on Meghali or whether she self-immolated in a suicide attempt," said Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Sonitpur, Barun Purkayastha.
"We are looking into all angles. Statements from both families and witnesses are being recorded. The body has been sent for postmortem examination, which will be crucial in determining the exact sequence of events," he said.
Jayanta Saikia will be produced before the court after preliminary investigations are completed, SSP Purkayastha said.
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