By IANS
New Delhi : A 23-year-old woman died after being allegedly set on fire by her in-laws in her northwest Delhi home for failing to meet their dowry demands, police said Saturday.
The woman, Bobby, was allegedly set on fire at her Vijay Vihar home late Friday. She had married Kamlesh, a tailor, two years ago.
Police said neighbours came rushing to the house and broke open the door after hearing her screams for help.
“She was engulfed in flames. Neighbours somehow managed to douse the fire and called the police,” said an eyewitness.
The police admitted her to the nearby Ambedkar Hospital with 95 percent burn injuries. She was later shifted to the Safdarjung Hospital, where she died Saturday morning.
Bobby, in her statement to police, blamed her in-laws.
“Bobby gave us a statement before she died. We have arrested her father-in-law, Parmanand, and mother-in-law, Mithilesh, while her husband is absconding,” a police official said, adding that a sub-divisional-magistrate enquiry has been ordered.
Bobby’s father said she had written to him a few days ago describing the brutalities she was being subjected to.
“Just two months ago, I had fulfilled their demands of a motorbike and now they were asking for more. My daughter told me that Kamlesh had taken her obscene pictures and was blackmailing her,” said an inconsolable father.
“Kamlesh was blackmailing her to bring in more dowry or get divorced. Her in-laws said they would release her pictures,” he added.
However, the police said the victim’s in-laws suspected her of having illicit relations and wanted their son to remarry.
“We have taken the statements of both sides,” the official said.