Man held for setting wife afire

A 34-year-old man who had allegedly murdered his wife by setting her afire and had been evading arrest in the guise of a Naga Baba, has been arrested by the Crime Branch of Delhi Police.
The accused, Giriraj Sharma had set his wife Kusum afire at Sarai Rohilla Railway Station area in north Delhi on September 24 last year and escaped to Kasganj in UP where he started living at Ambal Napra in the disguise of a Naga Baba.
Kusum was admitted to Safdarjung hospital where she succumbed to her injuries.
Sharma, on whom cash reward of Rs 10,000 was declared, was arrested yesterday from Nigam Bodh ghat area.

Kusum had, in her dying declaration, alleged that after 15-16 years of their marriage, Sharma had taken her to DSIDC railway tracks on the pretext of showing her his place of first job. There, he poured petrol on her and set her ablaze in full public view, Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime) Ravindra Yadav said.
During interrogation, Sharma disclosed that he is drug addict and had no work and was dependent on the income of his wife. He also suspected her character due to which they had regular altercations. To get rid of her, he hatched a plan to eliminate her and took her to DSIDC railway tracks where he pour petrol on her and set her ablaze in full public view.

Soon after the gruesome murder, Sharma absconded to Kasganj in UP where he started living at Ambal Napra in the disguise of a Naga Baba. He had even established a Lord Hanuman idol there and was indulging in predicting lucky numbers for gamblers in the area.
He also claimed to be from Niranjani Akhara and stays mostly in 'shamshan ghats' (cremation grounds) or secluded areas for practicing 'tantrik vaidhya'. He has even claimed to have eaten leftover human flesh after burning of pyre and raw flesh of animals including snakes, dogs etc, police said.