Two men arrested for setting pregnant sister-in-law ablaze

A third suspect, the husband of the deceased, is still on the run

KARACHI: Police arrested on Thursday two men for their alleged involvement in the death of their pregnant sister-in-law, who died at Civil Hospital, Karachi, after suffering burn wounds.

Rukhsana, 22, was four-months pregnant and was allegedly set on fire by her in-laws at their residence in Gulshan-e-Mazdoor, within the remits of the Saeedaabad police station, on Wednesday night over a family dispute, said Baldia SP Asif Razzak.

The woman was rushed to Civil hospital but succumbed to her injuries at around 11pm during treatment. She had burns on 70% of her body. Civil hospital's additional medical superintendent Dr Khadim Hussain said, "90% victims with such severe wounds don't survive."



In the complaint lodged with the police, the deceased's father, Noor Muhammad, nominated Rukhsana's husband Muhammad Ali and his brothers, Allah Rakhayo and Mehboob Ali, as the suspects.

He submitted that his daughter's husband and in-laws would frequently beat her due to petty family disputes and on the night of the incident a similar situation occurred which resulted in her being set on fire.

SP Razzak said that the police were looking 'carefully' into the case to ascertain the facts because the deceased girl's father alleged that it was a murder, while her in-laws maintain their innocence.

"Both of her brothers-in-law are in police custody and will be taken on remand from a judicial magistrate at the city courts on Friday," he said, adding that investigation team was also looking for her husband, who is on the run.



FIR no 86/2017 has been registered against the suspects under sections 302 (premeditated murder) and 34 (common intention) of the Pakistan Penal Code at the Saeedabad police station.