Woman Who ‘Accidentally Caught Fire’ During Scuffle With Boyfriend Dies in Mumbai Hospital

Nashik: The 30-year-old woman, who allegedly accidentally caught fire last week at Lasalgaon in Nashik district during a scuffle with the man she was in relationship with, succumbed to her injuries at a hospital in Mumbai early on Saturday, police said.

The woman, a resident of Pimpalgaon Najik in Niphad taluka of Nashik, died at Masina Hospital at Byculla in Mumbai, where she was admitted on Sunday, a day after the incident.

According to police, the woman had suffered 67 per cent burn injuries in the incident. In her statement to police, the victim had said that the accused, Rameshwar Madhukar Bhagwat,23, who has been arrested, did not set her on fire as the petrol she was carrying in a bottle got spilled on both of them and the matchstick lit by him, accidentally fell on her, police officials said.

After the incident, the woman had been admitted to Nashik District Civil Hospital. However, as her condition deteriorated, she was shifted to the hospital in Mumbai.

"Following her death, her mortal remains have been sent to her native village in Nashik," a police official said. Nashik Rural Police had arrested Bhagwat from Yeola town in Nashik district last Sunday.

He has been booked under IPC sections 338 (Causing grievous hurt by act endangering life or personal safety of others), 285 (Negligent conduct with respect to fire or combustible matter), 493 (Cohabitation caused by a man deceitfully inducing a belief of lawful marriage) and 188 (Disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant), police said.

According to police, the relationship between the woman, a widow and mother of three, and Bhagwat had soured. The duo had reportedly tied the knot, but his family was against the marriage. The man had recently got engaged with another woman, which had soured the relationship between the victim and him, police said.

In her statement, the victim had told the police that she and Bhagwat had come to Lasalgaon bus stand to sort out the differences between them, but after spotting her carrying a bottle full of petrol, he snatched it from her, but in the process the petrol got spilled on both of them.

When Bhagwat lit a matchstick and threatened to set himself ablaze, it accidentally fell on her, due to which she caught fire, police said quoting her statement.