East Midnapore woman dies in city after in-laws set her on fire

Kolkata: A woman from Bhagabanpur in East Midnapore who had been fighting for her life at Bangur Hospital with critical burn injuries for the past few days, succumbed to her injuries on Friday night.

The victim has given a death bed confession to the police alleging that her husband and mother-in-law had set her on fire. The family members of the victim alleged that she had protested against her husband, Sourav Matia after he developed an extramarital relationship.

The victim, Piyali Matia got married to her husband Sourav in 2004. They had two daughters. For the past one year, Piyali had been subjected to both mental and physical torture at her in-laws' house as she protested against the extramarital relationship of her husband.

It has been alleged that the victim's husband along with her mother-in-law poured petrol on her body and set her on fire. Four other persons were reportedly involved in the incident who had assisted the mother-son duo while committing the crime. The incident took place on August 21.

The victim's family members also alleged that the accused also tried to kill Piyali's two daughters but somehow they escaped any injury.

The victim was first taken to a nearby health centre at Bhagabanpur wherefrom she was shifted to a hospital at Tamluk. But the hospital had transferred the patient to the city as there was no adequate infrastructure.

After visiting the NRS Medical College and Hospital and the SSKM Hospital, the patient was finally admitted to M R Bangur Hospital where the doctors said that the patient suffered 90 percent burn injuries on all over her body. Despite efforts by the doctors at the hospital, the patient's life could not be saved. The victim has given a dying statement in which she narrated how she was set on fire and who were involved in the incident.

The family members of the victim have alleged police inaction in this incident. They alleged that the district police had been informed about the torture of the woman but no steps were taken. Police have started a probe in this regard.