Post News Network
Kendrapara, Feb 22: A married woman was charred to death, while her septuagenarian mother-in-law sustained burn injuries after an
accidental fire broke out in their house early Sunday morning at Jamunabad village under Patkura police station. A three-room thatched house was gutted along with property, food grains and valuable household items, including gold ornaments, worth over `4 lakh. The reason behind the accidental fire is suspected to be electric short circuit, Patkura police sources said.
Early morning Sunday, while male members of Gajendra Samal of Jamunabad were to attend a religious function organised at the village, an accidental fire, that occurred possibly due to electric short circuit, engulfed the entire house. Gajendra’s septuagenarian wife Bilasini Samal, who was outside the house, on seeing the fire, went in to rescue her 31-year-old daughter-in-law, Sasmita Samal, who was sleeping inside the house. However, as ill luck would have it, Bilasini failed to bring Sasmita outside the house as she sustained burn injuries. Consequently, Sasmita was charred to death
inside the house. Fire tender
personnel, along with locals,
managed to douse the fire.
Patkura police later rushed to the spot and seized Sasmita’s body and sent it for autopsy to the district headquarters hospital. Injured Bilasini was also rushed to the hospital. Patkura police have registered a case of unnatural death. Sasmita’s husband, Ranjan Samal, has been working as a security guard outside the district, police said.