Woman dies in mysterious blaze

RAWALPINDI:

A 68-year-old woman died after sustaining severe burn injuries under mysterious circumstances at her residence in the Landa Bazaar area of Rawalpindi's Waris Khan police jurisdiction on Wednesday.

According to Rescue 1122 officials, emergency responders were dispatched to a house on Iqbal Road in Landa Bazaar after receiving reports that a woman had been burnt. Upon arrival, they found the victim, identified as Farhat, lying dead inside the house with extensive burn injuries.

The body was shifted to a hospital after police and forensic teams completed their initial examination of the scene.

Police officials said preliminary inquiries revealed that the woman's husband had died several years ago and she was survived by two married daughters, both of whom lived separately.

Investigators said the deceased had reportedly been suffering from depression and lived alone on the upper floor of the house, while another family occupied the ground floor.

According to the police, the two daughters took turns staying with their mother to care for her. Officials said the daughter residing in Rawalpindi had recently been staying with her but had briefly returned to her own home for household chores after leaving her mother at a relative's house. The incident allegedly occurred after the woman returned to her residence.

During the investigation, a woman living on the ground floor told police that Farhat had returned home and spent around 10 to 15 minutes with her before going upstairs to her portion of the house. Shortly afterwards, she heard cries for help and rushed upstairs, where she found the elderly woman severely burnt.