UP woman dies of burns: Police say she set herself ablaze, refuting family's claims

The death of a 33-year-old woman, who was initially believed to have been set ablaze by six men here, has now been found to be a case of self-immolation, police said on Wednesday, citing findings from their investigation.

Nisha Singh left her home at Chaurai village on her scooter on September 6, telling her sons that she was going to buy medicine. The young mother, whose husband works in Delhi, was found hours later with severe burns at a private hospital.

Doctors informed her father Balram Singh, following which she was rushed to another hospital and from there to yet another in Saifai, almost 100 km away. And that's where she breathed her last.

Based on Balram Singh's complaint, police initially booked Deepak Singh and five unidentified men for allegedly setting the woman on fire. The woman's father had claimed that his daughter had told him that Deepak was harassing her over the phone.

Nisha's family has also raised questions over the change in her clothes. They said she left home wearing a salwar-suit but was found in the hospital dressed in half-trousers and a round-neck vest usually worn by men.

Police later clarified that the clothes were provided by Deepak after Nisha set herself on fire.

Addressing a press conference, Additional Superintendent of Police (Farrukhabad) Sanjay Kumar said that Deepak Singh, who was arrested on Wednesday, had been pressing Nisha to live with him.

She refused, and then poured petrol on herself and set herself on fire in a field about 800 metres from the accused's village on September 6, he said.

ASP Kumar said interrogation revealed that Deepak and Nisha had first connected on Facebook around four years ago and remained in touch over phone and WhatsApp chats.

"Deepak had helped Nisha rent a house in Nekpur Chaurasi earlier this year, and they met several times. On September 6, around 11 am, Deepak again pressed her to live with him. Nisha came to meet Deepak at his house, refused to agree to his demand, and left.

"Upset over Deepak pressing her, she went to a nearby field, poured petrol on herself and set herself ablaze," the officer said.

According to police, Deepak followed the woman and found her in the field with severe burns and dressed her in his own clothes.

He then called up his cousin, who brought the clothes for him and they left while the woman rode her scooter to a private hospital in Dariyapur, less than 500 metres from the spot, the police said.

From there, she was referred to the Ram Manohar Lohia district hospital, some 15 km away, and later to Saifai Medical College, where she died during treatment.

Her father, Balram Singh, had initially alleged that Deepak and five unidentified associates had poured petrol on her and set her on fire.

Nisha got married to Amit Chauhan in July 2013. The couple has two sons -- Rudra (11) and Shaurya (8).