India: 24-year-old woman set on fire by jilted lover pulls him into the fire, both die

A 24-year-old woman in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh died on Monday after she was set on fire by a jilted lover for rejecting his advances. However, the attacker also ended up losing his life as the victim pulled him into the fire.

According to Indian news reports, the victim, named Chinnari, worked as a COVID-19 nurse in the city of Vijayawada in Andhra Pradesh. She and the attacker, G Nagabhushanam, had been in a relationship for the past four years before they broke up earlier this year.

However, 25-year-old Nagabhushanam refused to accept the breakup and began stalking and harassing Chinnari, trying to win her back. Police said he was trying to convince her to elope with him.

Frustrated, the woman and her parents lodged a police complaint against on October 5. The police called the man and asked him to sign an undertaking that he would not harass her anymore.

Nagabhushanam was furious that Chinnari had spurned his advances. So, on October 12, as she was returning home from work, he doused her in kerosene and set her alight.

Police said the victim grabbed Nagabhushanam and held onto him, engulfing him in the fire too.

While Chinnari died on the spot, her attacker suffered 80 per cent burns and later succumbed to his injuries at the nearby Government General Hospital in Guntur, said officials.

A police official told news media outlets that a report for murder has been filed. And officials will also investigate if Nagabhushanam’s death will be considered as a suicide.