In a shocking incident that has rattled Kolkata, a young woman was allegedly set on fire by an acquaintance following a personal dispute in the Maidan area. The horrific act took place last Friday near the Gangasagar Mela ground, right opposite Eden Gardens. Despite being rushed to SSKM Hospital with 98% burns, the victim succumbed to her injuries on Saturday morning.

The Crucial Dying Declaration: Before passing away, the victim provided a statement to the police in the presence of doctors. She named the accused, a colleague from a jute bag shop where she worked, as the person who doused her in kerosene and lit the fire following a heated argument.

Joint CP (Crime) Rupesh Kumar confirmed that based on the victim’s statement, the accused was arrested the very next day and has been remanded to police custody. While investigators are looking into some inconsistencies in the preliminary probe, a murder case has been registered. Police are currently scanning nearby CCTV footage to track the movement of the accused and establish how he procured kerosene at the crowded public spot.