Wanted To Marry Girlfriend, Bihar Man Set Ablaze Second Wife After Dispute

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In a shocking case from Bihar’s Nalanda district, a man allegedly set his second wife on fire after she objected to his plans to marry his girlfriend.

The accused, identified as Vikas Kumar, had married Sunita Devi (25) five years ago. He doused Sunita in petrol, released LPG from a cylinder, and set her ablaze in a fit of rage, officials said on Saturday.

According to Sunita’s father, it was only after the wedding that they realised Kumar had already been married once and had not divorced his first wife, NDTV reported.

Kumar’s family had persuaded Sunita to stay with them, and the couple later had two children, both of whom died shortly after birth. Following this, Kumar began expressing his desire to marry his girlfriend, which sparked frequent quarrels between the two. Eventually, Sunita left him and moved back to her parents’ home.

However, last month, before the Durga Puja festival, Kumar went to Sunita’s house and asked her to return with him.

Sunita’s brother said they received a call from her around 1 am on Saturday, during which she said that Kumar had poured petrol on her and locked her in the courtyard. He then opened the gas stove valves and threw a lit matchstick, setting her on fire.

Sunita told them she would not survive, an official said, adding her phone was switched off after that, NDTV reported.

By the time Sunita’s family reached the village, Kumar and his family were planning to cremate her body. They fled when they saw Sunita’s family approaching.

“A team reached the spot and started an investigation. A forensic team has collected samples. The body has been handed over to the woman’s family after a postmortem, and her in-laws are on the run,” NDTV quoted Station House Officer Anil Kumar Pandey as saying.