Man sets wife ablaze over ₹200

A 45-year-old man set his wife ablaze in front of their children in a village near Udaipur after a heated argument over money. The victim, who sustained severe burn injuries, was rushed to a hospital where she died during treatment on Tuesday evening.

The incident took place when Jija Devi, 40, of Daiyawara village near Udaipur took ₹200 more from her husband than the amount that was to be paid to a JCB driver for the work done by him near their house. The couple had a heated argument after which the accused, Rameshchandra Kharadi, sprinkled kerosene on her and set her ablaze, Pahada police station SHO Jivatram said.

“The accused then fled the scene leaving his wife screaming and writhing in pain,” he said.

The victim’s two children, who witnessed the whole incident, rushed to their uncle’s house for help. Jija Devi’s brother-in-law, Thawra Lal Kharadi, then rushed her to MB Hospital in Udaipur.

Thawra Lal told the police that during treatment Jija Devi was repeatedly taking her husband’s name and said that he had set her on fire, the SHO said.

Soon the relatives of the victim reached the hospital and started protesting. First, they refused to take the body; however, the police spoke to them and handed over the body to them.

Initial investigation into the matter revealed that on Monday, the victim’s husband Rameshchandra called an excavator to dig and move mud from his land. They had to pay ₹1,600 to the driver but his wife Jija Devi took ₹1,800 from the accused, which made him angry. In a fit of rage, he set her on fire.

Police have lodged an FIR and are trying to trace the accused.