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A 30-year-old woman died on Monday from severe burn injuries, two days after she was allegedly set on fire in Kolkata’s Maidan area. Despite suffering burns over 90 per cent of her body, she was able to give a statement to police before her death at SSKM Hospital, which led to the swift arrest of the main suspect.
According to investigators, the accused, identified as Siddhartha Chariwal, is believed to have lured the woman to an isolated location on the pretext of a job interview or meeting. Police say an argument broke out at the site, after which he allegedly doused her with kerosene and set her on fire.
Bystanders and officers from the Maidan Police Station quickly intervened and transported the victim to hospital, where she remained in critical condition until she succumbed to her injuries.
The victim’s mother said her daughter had left home for what she believed was a job interview but soon became unreachable. She later received a call from police informing her that her daughter had been found with severe burns near Babughat.
In her final statement, the woman reportedly named Chariwal as her attacker. Her mother also disclosed that he had previously pressured her into marrying him and had offered her a job, both of which she declined due to personal and religious reasons.
Police tracked down and arrested the suspect in the Beleghata area based on the details provided by the victim. Authorities are now working to establish the exact motive, examining whether the attack stemmed from a rejected relationship or other disputes.
Chariwal was first presented before the Bankshall Court on Saturday. The case was initially registered as attempted murder under Section 109 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, but prosecutors have said the charges will be upgraded to murder following the victim’s death and post-mortem findings. His bail request has already been denied as the investigation continues.
Meanwhile, investigators are reconstructing the sequence of events, including why the victim was directed to the Babughat area instead of the supposed interview location.
