Woman set on fire over bringing less dowry

A newly married woman was allegedly set on fire by her in-laws in Batala Colony over bringing less dowry.

The area police registered a case and carried out raids to arrest the suspects.

However, relatives of the woman blocked traffic at the District Council Chowk and demanded that the police arrest the suspects at the earliest.

The protesters dispersed after police officers negotiated with them and assured them of action in the case.

Allah Rakha, a resident of Chak 129RB, informed the police that his daughter Sadia had been married with the suspect Usman of Fateh Din Wali three months ago. After some time, Usman had started taunting his daughter for bringing less dowry and repeatedly demanded more items.

The complainant alleged that his daughter's mother-in-law had also harassed her for bringing less jewelry. She allegedly demanded more jewellery to let her daughter-in-law live in her home.

He said his son-in-law Usman's father Shahbaz and mother Shamim had verbally abused his daughter.

"On Thursday, they allegedly set Sadia on fire in their home and told us that she was working in the kitchen and her clothes had caught fire," the complainant stated.

However, his daughter told him that her husband along with his parents had tried to kill her by setting her on fire.

The victim was taken to the Allied Hospital in a state of unconsciousness, where the doctors termed her condition precarious.

Batala Colony police registered a case against the three suspects under sections 324, 436 and 34 of Pakistan Penal Code. The parents of Sadia protested along with their relatives by blocking a road at the District Council Chowk and demanded that the suspects be arrested and punished. They blocked the road for several hours.

Later, Batala Colony DSP Malik Tariq reached the spot and negotiated with the protesters. He assured them that the suspects would be arrested soon, after which the protesters dispersed.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 5^th, 2023.