WOMAN SCORCHED IN FIRE, DIED

WOMAN SCORCHED IN FIRE, DIED

20-APRIL-ENG 8

RAJIV NAYAN AGRAWAL

ARA---------------------------In Nahsi village, located under the jurisdiction of the Garhani police station in this district, 45-year-old Maya Devi—who had sustained severe burns after being engulfed in flames a week ago—passed away while undergoing treatment. She breathed her last on Sunday at a private hospital in Patna. According to reports, the deceased, Maya Devi, was the 45-year-old wife of Basant Kumar Ram, a resident of Nahsi village within the Garhani police station area.

An old land and family dispute is believed to be the motive behind this incident. The deceased's daughter, Sandhya Kumari, has alleged that a dispute arose between their family and the accused party a year and a half ago, regarding which a First Information Report (FIR) had also been lodged. According to Sandhya, the accused had also attempted to abduct both sisters some time ago. On April 8, when family members visited the Arrah Court in connection with the hearing of this case, the accused party had threatened to kill them.

Sandhya Kumari alleges that on the night of April 11, while her parents were sleeping in their room, the accused—acting in a premeditated conspiracy—sprayed petrol through the window and set the room on fire. In this sudden attack, both Maya Devi and her husband, Basant Kumar Ram, sustained severe burns. They were rushed to the Sadar Hospital, from where Maya Devi was referred to Patna due to the critical nature of her condition. She succumbed to her injuries on Sunday while undergoing treatment, whereas Basant Kumar Ram is still receiving medical care at the Sadar Hospital.

Meanwhile, the deceased's daughter, Sandhya Kumari, has accused three individuals—including Upendra Ram and Supendra Ram, both residents of the same village—of spraying petrol through the window to set her parents ablaze as a result of the aforementioned past dispute, an act that ultimately led to her mother's death. The daughter has explicitly alleged that this heinous crime was perpetrated solely due to an old vendetta. The police, for their part, are conducting an investigation into the matter.

The Town Police Station personnel handed over the body to the family members after conducting a post-mortem examination. A wave of grief has swept through Nahsi village following this incident. Maya Devi has left behind a large and loving family, comprising her two sons—Gulshan and Kishan—and two daughters—Sandhya and Khushboo. Since their mother's passing, the family members are inconsolable and in deep distress