A 28-year-old employee of a pharmaceutical company was admitted to the ICU at Safdarjung Hospital in critical condition after sustaining severe burns. According to an FIR filed at Ambedkar Nagar Police Station the same day, Dinesh’s wife allegedly poured hot oil on his torso around 3 a.m. while he was asleep.
Their eight-year-old daughter was also present in the house at the time. Dinesh informed the police that he returned home late on Thursday after work, had dinner, and then went to bed.
In his complaint, Dinesh alleged, “My wife and daughter were sleeping nearby. Around 3:15 a.m., I suddenly felt an intense burning sensation across my body. I saw my wife standing over me, pouring boiling oil on my torso and face. Before I could react or call for help, she sprinkled red chilli powder on the burns.”
When he objected, she allegedly retorted, “Agar shor machaya to aur garam tel daal doongi (If you raise an alarm, I’ll pour more hot oil.”
However, Dinesh couldn’t hold back his screams. The noise alerted neighbours, and the landlord’s family living on the floor below rushed to the scene.
Anjali, the daughter of the house owner, was among the first to rush upstairs to check on him.
“My father went upstairs to see what was going on, but the door was locked from the inside,” Anjali said. “His wife had locked it. We kept asking them to open the door. When the door was finally opened, we saw him writhing in pain while his wife was hiding inside the house.”
Anjali said that when her father tried to intervene, the woman claimed she was taking her husband to the hospital. “But when she came out with him, she started walking in the opposite direction. That made us suspicious. My father stopped her, arranged an auto, and took Dinesh to the hospital himself,” she said.
Dinesh was initially taken to a nearby hospital, but due to the severe burns on his chest, face, and arms, the doctors referred him to Safdarjung Hospital.
According to the victim, the couple had been married for eight years and experienced a troubled relationship. Two years ago, his wife filed a complaint with the Crime Against Women Cell, but the issue was resolved through a compromise.
The police statement indicated that they have booked Dinesh’s wife under Sections 118, 124, and 326 of the BNS.
An officer stated that no arrest has been made so far; however, further investigation into this case is underway.