Married woman critical after being set afire in Haridwar, USCW orders strict action against in-laws

Victim suffers 80% burn injuries, was being harassed for dowry

PIONEER EDGE NEWS SERVICE/Dehradun

A married woman in Haridwar was allegedly set on fire allegedly by her in-laws, leaving her with 80 per cent burn injuries. The Uttarakhand State Commission for Women (USCW) has directed the police to take strict action against the accused. The USCW chairwoman Kusum Kandwal said that the incident took place in a village in Roorkee’s Roshnabad area on October 11, where Bharti, who married Ashish Kumar, son of Vijay Pal, in October 2024, was allegedly burned with petrol by her husband and in-laws.

According to the complaint, the attack was linked to demands for dowry. Kandwal said that Bharti’s sister informed the commission that the initial months of the marriage were normal but soon after, the in-laws began to harass her for dowry. The family tried to settle the matter several times but the harassment continued.

The victim’s father stated in his complaint that after Bharti gave birth to a daughter on September 24, 2025, the harassment increased and she was subjected to threats and physical violence. Kusum said that as per the complainant, Bharti’s husband, father-in-law, mother-in-law, sister-in-law and brother-in-law allegedly poured petrol on her and set her on fire on October 11. Bharti is currently undergoing treatment at All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Rishikesh.

Taking cognisance of the incident, Kandwal instructed Haridwar senior superintendent of police Pramendra Dobal to initiate immediate and strict action. Kandwal said that the incident is shocking and the accused will not be spared. She assured that every person found guilty will face the harshest punishment under the law. She also expressed sympathy toward the victim’s family and directed police officials to ensure there is no negligence in the investigation. Kandwal said that the police have confirmed that a case has been registered and an investigation is underway.