UP woman sustains burns in house fire; dies after assault by stepbrothers on way to hospital

BAHRAICH: A 38-year-old woman who sustained burns in a fire at her house and was later assaulted by her stepbrothers and nephews, allegedly over a property dispute, died during treatment in Lucknow, police said.

The incident occurred around 3 am on Saturday in Nooruddin Chak village under Dargah police station limits. Investigators are examining the CCTV footage of the incident.


According to police, the woman was seen running out of her house screaming for help after a sudden fire broke out on the premises. Her husband managed to extinguish the flames, but she suffered severe burns by then.

He tried to rush her to hospital on a motorcycle, but her stepbrothers and nephews allegedly intercepted them on the way, dragged them off the bike and assaulted the injured woman, throwing her to the ground despite her critical condition.

Police reached the spot and shifted the woman to the district hospital, from where she was referred to Lucknow due to the severity of her injuries. She later succumbed during treatment.

Superintendent of police, Bahraich, Bishwajit Srivastava, said Dargah Sharif police received information about the fire incident around 3.30 am on May 16 and immediately launched rescue efforts.

During preliminary inquiry, police found that the woman had a property dispute with her stepbrothers over a house in Nooruddin Chak village, and the matter is pending with a civil court in Bahraich.

Police said the woman also lodged criminal complaints against her stepbrothers a few months ago, alleging assault.

The SP said a case has been registered and two suspects have been taken into custody for questioning.

Police said Chanda married thrice and her current husband was originally from Jaipur and arrived in Bahraich about a week ago.

According to the FIR, the couple recently shifted household belongings from the disputed house to a rented accommodation in Shahida Colony.

The woman’s husband told the police that his wife went to the disputed property on Saturday night and later called him around midnight, saying a dispute broke out with her brothers.