Woman set on fire by in-laws after argument over filling water

A 40-year-old woman was Thursday set on fire allegedly by her in-laws following an argument over filling water from a tap located in their property, police said.

The woman suffered over 80 per cent burn injuries and is undergoing treatment at a hospital in Bhopal, they said.

"The woman, Dwarka Bai, was allegedly set on fire by her in-laws after they poured kerosene on her at Badora village, about five kms from the district headquarters," Betul Bazaar Police Station in-charge Bhaiyalal Uike said.

The woman accused her father-in-law Bhadiya Sahu, mother-in-law Ramrati Bai, sister-in-law Lalli Bai, brothers- in-law Rajendra Sahu and Bhola Sahu for the act, he said, adding that a case was registered against them under IPC section 307 (attempt to murder).

They will soon be arrested, Uike said.

"During the division of property in Sahu family recently, the accused had got the portion of the house in which the tap was located," Uike said.

An argument erupted on Thursday morning after the victim went to fetch water from this tap. As the argument escalated, the accused locked the woman's husband and children inside the house and then set her on fire, the officer added.

The victim's husband and children managed to come out of the house some time later, but by that time the woman had suffered major burn injuries, he said.

Betul District Hospital's Dr Surendra Kushwaha said the woman sustained about 80-85 per cent burn injuries and was referred to Bhopal for further treatment as her condition is serious.