Barely hours after returning home from Dubai, a Kala Sanghian-based villager poured petrol and set himself, his wife and two minor kids on fire in the wee hours on Thursday.
While the man returned home at 11 pm on Wednesday, the incident came to light at 4:30 am on Thursday. The incident reportedly occurred after 35-year-old Kulwinder Singh got to know about the illicit relations of his wife from the villagers.
Infuriated, he set himself, his wife Mandeep Kaur, his minor son Abhi (5) and daughter Sonal (8) on fire.
Kulwinder’s mother Mohinder Kaur and sister Jaswinder Kaur, who were sleeping in another room in the same house, did not even get to know about his return till his death.
Mohinder Kaur got woken up by the smoke that came out of his room. As she and Jaswinder pushed their door, they found that Kulwinder had already died. Mandeep and her two kids were immediately rushed to Civil Hospital in Jalandhar.
While the kids died around noon, Mandeep passed away at 3 pm. Jaswinder’s leg too got partially burnt.
Mandeep was referred to the Jalandhar civil hospital where she died after making a statement to the police.
Police said Mandeep told them that a villager had started blackmailing her for sexual favours after he had filmed her obscene video, which he had also shared with his two friends.
Kulwinder’s sister Jaswinder Kaur, who was sleeping in the adjoining room, came to know about the incident after hearing the screams of the victims and raised alarm. “She also sustained minor burn injuries and was discharged after the first aid,” MS Bawa, medical superintendent, Jalandhar civil hospital, said.
Superintendent of police (SP) Jagjit Singh Saroya said Kulwinder had been living in Jordan for some years and returned to his village on Wednesday night.
“He came to know about his wife’s affair when she told him that a man was threatening to post her obscene video on social media and demanding sexual favours,” the SP said.
Deputy superintendent of police (DSP) Sarabjit Singh said on the basis of the woman’s statement, a case has been registered against four persons belonging to the same village under Sections 306 (abetment of suicide) and 34 of IPC.
He said the accused have been identified as Gurpreet Singh alias Sunny, his mother Satya Devi, two friends Balkar Singh and Tirath Singh.
The DSP said Sunny and Balkar have been arrested while efforts are on to arrest the other two accused.
He said Gurpreet had reportedly made the obscene video of the woman that he shared with his friends, and they later started blackmailing her. Satya also blackmailed the woman to extort money from her, he added.
