Man, family accused of setting his pregnant wife on fire, DCW writes to cops

A man in northwest Delhi's Bawana has been accused of setting his pregnant wife on fire. The in-laws of the woman - who is in the seven-months of pregnancy - were also allegedly involved, Swati Maliwal, chairperson, Delhi Commission for Women (DCW), said in a tweet, adding that the women's panel has issued a notice to the Delhi Police in this regard. The horrific incident is yet again a reminder of increasing number of crimes against women in the national capital.

"Seven-month pregnant woman set on fire by husband & in-laws by pouring petrol in Bawana. Woman suffered serious burn injuries & is undergoing treatment at hospital. We've issued notice to Delhi police & providing all help to victim. (sic)" tweeted DCW chief Swati Maliwal.

"We got married in April last year and I am pregnant now. My husband burnt me with paint thinner after I refused to return the jewellery his family had gifted me during our wedding ceremony," the woman was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.

But her husband has refuted the allegations. "We were sitting beside the fire, and as it emanated smoke a boy put thinner into the fire to re-ignite it. Immediately the flames got big and her (the woman's) suit and my pant caught fire. I didn't do anything that she is accusing me of," he said.

Delhi has often caught the nation's attention as far crimes against women are concerned. Last year, HT had reported how the city saw a 16.9 per cent increase in cases of crime against women, compared to 2021 till July 15. According to the 2020 National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) report, crimes against women in Delhi declined by 24.65% in 2020 as compared to 2019, possibly on account of the Covid-19 pandemic that kept people mostly indoors last year, the city still topped the Union Territories (UTs) in the number of rapes reported.

The murder of Shraddha Walkar last year in Delhi's Chhatarpur area had also rocked the city as well as the nation. Her body was chopped into pieces after the murder. Aaftab Poonawala, her live-in-partner, was caught in the case last year on November and has been in jail ever since then.

(With inputs from ANI)