Man sets wife on fire in Chishtian

Couple married 19 years ago, have four children

CHISHTIAN:

A man poured petrol on his wife and set her on fire with the help of an accomplice over her refusal to pay him for drugs.

According to Daharanwala police, Muhammad Akram, a resident of a suburban area of Chishtian, reported that the victim, his daughter Rukhsana Bibi, had bene married to Muhammad Idrees, a resident of the same village around 19 years ago. The couple have four children. The suspect is addicted to drugs and frequently used to beat his wife and demand money for drugs.

On Wednesday night, the accused came home with an unidentified accomplice and demanded money for drugs from the victim.

Upon her refusal, the suspect and his masked accomplice doused her with petrol and set her on fire. The victim suffered severe burn injuries on her legs and wrist.

Upon hearing her screams, witnesses Maqsood Ahmad and Ali Muhammad arrived at the scene, prompting the suspects to flee.

A Rescue 1122 team took the woman to the Chishtian Tehsil Headquarters Hospital (THQ), from where she was referred to Nishtar Hospital in Multan by the doctors due to the lack of a burns unit.

On the complaint lodged by Rukhsana Bibi's father, the Daharanwala police registered a case under Section 324 of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) and arrested the prime suspect.

Earlier in July last year, a woman along with her daughters killed her daughter-in-law by sprinkling oil and setting her on fire due to a domestic dispute.

Khadija Bibi, a resident of Sarliyan, stated in her complaint that her 30-year-old daughter Salma was married to Khurram Shehzad, a resident of Dijkot, in October 2021. Shortly after the wedding, Khurram went to Saudi Arabia for employment.

During this time, the victim started having minor disputes with her mother-in-law Zubaida. After an altercation, Zubaida subjected her to violence, poured petrol on her and set her on fire, the complainant alleged.