Woman Set Ablaze by Boyfriend’s Family in Chhattisgarh Dies

The two accused women, her boyfriend’s mother and brother’s wife, were arrested.

A 20-year-old woman who was allegedly set on fire by her boyfriend’s family members in Raipur, died.

(Photo Courtesy: Lijumol Joseph/The Quint)

A 20-year-old woman, who was set on fire allegedly by her boyfriend’s family members in Raipur district, has died, police said on 23 December.

The woman, Saraswati Sonwani, was admitted to a government-run hospital with over 80 percent burns on Saturday, 21 December, a police official said.

“She died during treatment late Sunday, 22 December, evening,” he adding that three persons were booked in connection with the incident and two of them have been arrested.

The incident took place in Kholha village under Abhanpur police station limits on 18 December but came to light on 21 December when the hospital authorities in Raipur city informed police about the admission of the woman with serious burn injuries.

The woman’s brother subsequently lodged a police complaint against the parents and another relative of his sister’s 25-year-old boyfriend Lallu Satnami.

According to the complaint, the victim went to her boyfriend’s house on 18 December after getting a call from him, he said.

When she reached Satnami’s home, he was not there and his parents and brother’s wife thrashed the woman.

They then allegedly poured kerosene on her and set her ablaze, the official said.

The woman was rushed to a hospital in Abhanpur town, but as her condition deteriorated, she was shifted to a Raipur-based hospital where she succumbed to her injuries on 22 December, he said.

Based on the complaint, Lallu Satnami’s father Jalal Satnami aged 55, mother Dukalha Bai, aged 50 and his brother’s wife Naini Bai aged 22 were booked under Indian Penal Code Sections 307 (attempt to murder) and 34 (common intention), he said.

After the woman’s death, they were also charged under IPC Section 302 (murder), the official said.

The two accused women were arrested on 22 December evening and efforts are on to nab Jalal Satnami, who is absconding, the official said.

Preliminary investigation revealed that Lallu Satnami’s parents were against his relationship with the victim, he said, adding that this could be the reason behind the incident.