Domestic violence: Man arrested for setting wife on fire

Couple had separated two years ago and later reunited after family elders intervened.

BAHALWALPUR:

A man allegedly killed his wife on Tuesday by setting her on fire. He was later arrested from his house.

Police said Khursheed Ahmad, a resident of Mohallah Sarwar Shah in Ahmadpur, married Nadia Bibi from Jehlum. They had four children from the marriage.

Two year ago, police said, Ahmad had ‘divorced’ Nadia Bibi following an argument. They were, however, reunited on the advice of some elders of the family.

Nadia Bibi’s family said Ahmed was inebriated when he had declared he was divorcing her.

On Monday night, Ahmad had an argument with her again, after which he threw petrol on her and set her on fire in her sleep. Ahmed’s parents and some neighbours heard her screams and rushed to her rescue. Nadia Bibi was taken to a nearby hospital, from where she was sent to Bahawal Victoria Hospital in Bahawalpur. She died a few hours later.

Doctors, who treated her at the BVH, told The Express Tribune that Nadia Bibi had been 90 per cent burnt. Doctors there refused to hand over the body to the in-laws and informed her parents.

He parents said the BVH lacked a burn unit and accused her in-laws of taking to this hospital on purpose. They alleged Nadia Bibi’s in-laws were also involved in the crime.

Doctors at BVH said the nearest burn unit was in Multan, some 100 kilometers from Bahawalpur.

They said even if she had been taken to Multan, she would not have survived.

Her brother, Aamir Nawaz told The Express Tribune that two years ago he and his parents had forced Nadia Bibi to return to her husband “for the sake of their children”. Had they not sent her back, he said, she would be alive.

Nawaz said Ahmad had had illicit relations with other women and that is why the couple fought. That was the reason he had divorced her and now killed her, he said.

He said Nadia Bibi had complained about Ahmed’s behaviour several times. But she was told to stay quiet for the honour of the family and her children, he said.

City police Station House Officer Rana Hakim Ali told The Express Tribune that a case had been filed on the complaint of Nawaz. He said Ahmad was arrested from his house, however, he had not confessed to the crime. The body has been sent for a post-mortem examination, he said.

He said the woman’s family had also asked the police to hand over Nadia Bibi’s children to them saying they feared for their lives as well.

No decision regarding this has been made yet, the SHO said.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 24^th, 2012.