Jilted lover tries to burn woman, her mother; arrested

A 32-year-old jilted lover was arrested in Delhi on Friday for allegedly dousing a woman, her mother and himself with patrol and trying to set all on fire after she refused to marry him, police said.

The police said accused Chanki Pandey, who had received burn injuries in abdomen and was on the run since the incident, was arrested from his hideout in north Delhi.

According to the police, the incident occurred at 7.30 a.m on Friday when Pandey visited the victim's house in Malviya Nagar in south Delhi and started shouting her name. He was carrying a a bottle filled with patrol.

When victim's mother and brother confronted and asked him to leave, Pandey threatened that he would pour petrol and set them on fire.

"Then he asked the mother and son to call the woman (25) out or he would set himself on fire. The victim -- who is already married and has two kids -- and her family kept asking Pandey to leave.

"He then poured petrol on himself, on the victim woman and her mother. He set ablaze his jacket, took it out and threw at them. But her brother rescued them," Deputy Commissioner of Police Romil Baaniya said.

Thereafter, Pandey fled the spot. The woman's brother and mother received minor burn injuries.

Later she informed the police and a case of attempt to murder was registered against Pandey, Baaniya said.

Pandey, who is a resident of Malviya Nagar and worked as a support staff in a mall in Gurugram, was arrested from Burari, the officer said.

"He and woman were in extra-marital relationship, but she declined his marriage proposal. She was going through a rough phase in her relationship with her husband. The woman and Pandey had even eloped on November 17, but she returned after three days," he added.

--IANS

sp/nir