Hyderabad: A 26-year-old woman died after her husband allegedly set her on fire inside her home in Nallakunta late on Tuesday night, suspecting her of infidelity. The incident occurred while the couple’s two minor children were asleep nearby.
The victim, Triveni, sustained 95% burns and succumbed while undergoing treatment at a private hospital on Wednesday morning. Police arrested the accused, K Venkatesh, on Thursday and booked him under Section 103 (murder) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). Venkatesh works as a centring worker, while Triveni was employed as a housekeeping staffer with a private firm.
According to police, Triveni was asleep when Venkatesh entered the house carrying a bottle of petrol, poured it on her and set her ablaze. “After committing the act, the accused fled the spot, taking his six-year-old son with him,” said Narasaiah, additional deputy commissioner of police (east zone).
Police said it was the couple’s eight-year-old daughter who woke up and raised the alarm. Neighbours rushed in, doused the flames and shifted Triveni to hospital, but she could not be saved. CCTV footage from the area reportedly shows Venkatesh fleeing with the child, followed by the distraught daughter running out to seek help, along with smoke billowing from the house.
Investigators said the couple married about 10 years ago and had moved from Huzurabad to Hyderabad. Due to ongoing marital discord, they had been living separately for the past eight months. Police said Venkatesh suspected his wife of having relationships with other men. Although he had recently attempted reconciliation and had resumed visiting her house, the tensions persisted. On Tuesday night, Triveni had kept the door open as she expected him to visit, police added.
Venkatesh was arrested from his native place in Huzurabad, and further investigation is underway.
