UP's Kannauj: Man Allegedly Ties Wife to Chair and Burns Her to Death Over Suspected Affair

A shocking incident of alleged revenge has been reported from Uttar Pradesh’s Kannauj district, where a man allegedly set a 60-year-old woman on fire over a dispute involving his wife, who had reportedly eloped with the victim’s son. The accused was arrested following a police encounter in the early hours of Wednesday. The incident took place on Tuesday night in Tigudiya village, under the Chhibramau police station area. The accused, identified as Sarvesh Batham, allegedly targeted Sontara after developing a grudge against her family over his wife Maheshwari’s reported relationship with her son, Anuj.

According to police information, Anuj and Maheshwari had reportedly left together around 10 days before the incident. Anuj was working at a brick kiln in Hanumangarh, Rajasthan, where he had allegedly become acquainted with Maheshwari. Police said Sarvesh arrived at Sontara’s house on Tuesday night carrying petrol. He allegedly poured the fuel on her and set her on fire before escaping. Hearing her cries, her husband rushed to the spot and managed to extinguish the flames before taking her to a hospital.

Sontara sustained burns over approximately 30 per cent of her body. After receiving initial medical attention at a local hospital, she was referred to Ursala Hospital in Kanpur for further treatment. Following a complaint by the victim’s husband, police registered a case and launched a search operation to apprehend the accused. Teams from Chhibramau police station, the Special Operations Group and the surveillance unit were involved in the operation.

According to Superintendent of Police Vinod Kumar, police intercepted Sarvesh near a culvert on Talgram Road at around 1:45 am on Wednesday. The accused allegedly opened fire when officers attempted to arrest him, prompting retaliatory firing by the police team. He sustained a bullet injury to his leg and was subsequently taken to the Chhibramau Community Health Centre for treatment.

Police also recovered an illegal firearm, cartridges, a mobile phone and a motorcycle from his possession. The investigation is underway, and police are examining the circumstances surrounding the alleged attack. The incident has once again highlighted the dangers of violent retaliation arising from personal and family disputes.

Disclaimer: This image is taken from PTI.