According to police reports on Friday, in Uttar Pradesh's Budaun, a man purportedly set his 40-year-old wife ablaze, allegedly in response to her efforts to dissuade him from consuming alcohol.
Senior Superintendent of Police (SP) Alok Priyadarshi detailed the incident, stating that the accused individual, identified as Muneesh Saxena, had returned home in an inebriated state on Thursday night. Reportedly, when his wife, Shanno, attempted to intervene and prevent him from further alcohol consumption, Saxena purportedly retrieved petrol from his motorcycle, doused her with it, and ignited the fuel, resulting in her immolation.
During the altercation, Shanno's mother-in-law, Munni Devi, intervened in an attempt to assist her daughter-in-law but ended up sustaining burns on her hands. Upon witnessing the horrifying scene, Shanno's two children, Sunny aged 8, and Arjun aged 5, raised an alarm and sought help from neighbors.
Subsequently, local residents rushed to the scene, extinguished the flames, and promptly alerted the authorities, leading to police intervention.
The body of the deceased, Shanno, has been dispatched for post-mortem examination, while her injured mother-in-law, Munni Devi, is currently receiving medical treatment at a district hospital.
Efforts are underway to locate the accused, Muneesh Saxena, who is currently evading authorities. Police teams have been mobilized to apprehend him and bring him to justice.
