Woman sets herself on fire over unrequited love

Victim’s lover has allegedly been flirting with her for years

A 32-year-old woman set herself on fire in Satellite Town in Chiniot the other day, police said. She was shifted to the Burns Unit of the Allied Hospital where her condition was stated to be critical.

Doctors at the Allied Hospital said that the woman had received 70 percent burn injuries. According to the police report, the woman had entered into a relationship in her college days with one of her classmates, Zil-e-Hussain, who later joined the police force as a sub-inspector.

Police said that the relationship continued even after the two had graduated. They said that Zil-e-Hussain, who was until recently posted at the establishment branch of the Chiniot DPO’s Office as a sub-inspector, had allegedly promised the woman that he would marry her.

Police alleged that Zil-eHussain had actually been flirting with the woman all the while. They alleged that Zil-eHussain used to make video calls to the woman and took indecent pictures of her on his mobile phone. Later he allegedly started blackmailing her, police said.

Zil-e-Hussain ultimately refused to marry the woman he had been flirting with and married someone elsewhere on November 26. The woman, disgusted with the way she had been treated by Zil-e-Hussain, went to the latter’s house in Satellite Town and set herself on fire right in front of the house.

Regional Police Officer Sarfraz Ahmed Falki took notice of the case because the police sub-inspector had allegedly made immoral pictures of the woman and was blackmailing her.