Bhadrak:
: A woman was charred to death in a major fire that razed her house at Sheikh Sahi near Padambeda under Puruna Bazaar police limits in Bhadrak district late Sunday night.
The bone-chilling incident has spread shockwaves in the area. While no exact reason for the fire was known, police have registered a case and launched a probe.
A cloth was seen stuffed in the mouth of the deceased leading the police to suspect that it was a pre-planned murder. Incidentally, the fire broke out when the woman was alone in the house with no trace of other family members, including her husband.
Moreover, the cloth stuffed in her mouth has raised suspicion that miscreants might have tied the cloth on her mouth to prevent her from shouting for help.
The deceased was identified as Subhasini, wife of Uday Khillar. Suspecting it to be a pre-planned murder, the Town Police have detained the deceased’s husband and mother-in-law.
Sources said the incident occurred at around 2 am Sunday when the fire broke out all of a sudden at Khillar’s house.
Subhasini, who was sleeping inside the house, was burnt alive. Hearing the crackle of fire, locals woke up and alerted the police. Soon, a fire team reached the village and doused the blaze before it could spread in the neighbourhood.
Khillar’s house was completely gutted and his wife burnt to death before the arrival of the fire fighters. Locals tried to rescue the woman, but in vain.
After dousing the flames, the fire tender team recovered the body and sent it for autopsy.
According to rumours, Khillar gagged his wife and tied her limbs before setting his house on fire to make it appear as a mishap.
Police have detained Khillar and his mother for further investigation. “The exact reason will be known after the arrival of autopsy report. Meanwhile, interrogation of the suspects is underway,” police said.
PNN
