Bhubaneswar, Jun 10: A shocking incident of alleged arson linked to a domestic dispute was reported from Naupada village under Suliapada police limits in Mayurbhanj district, where a man is accused of setting his in-laws’ house on fire in the early hours of Tuesday night, leaving his father-in-law critically injured.

According to the complaint lodged by the victim’s family, the accused, identified as Sikandar of Raghunathpur village, had allegedly been subjecting his wife to physical abuse and blackmail for a prolonged period. Unable to endure the alleged harassment, the woman had returned to her parental home. Family members and local elders had reportedly made several attempts to resolve the dispute through mediation.

The situation took a violent turn at around 2:30 a.m. when Sikandar allegedly arrived at his in-laws’ residence while the family was asleep. His mother-in-law, Sohana Bibi, alleged that he poured petrol around the house from outside and set it on fire before fleeing the spot.

She further claimed that this was not the first such incident. According to the family, the accused had earlier attempted to intimidate them by setting fire to an outdoor clothesline on the premises.

The blaze quickly spread through the house, trapping family members inside. Sohana’s husband sustained severe burn injuries and remains in critical condition. Sohana herself suffered burns on her hands while trying to rescue children from the burning house.

The family has also accused the police of failing to act promptly. They alleged that despite being informed, police advised local residents to detain the accused themselves rather than taking immediate action.

Meanwhile, Sikandar remains absconding, and police have launched an investigation to trace and apprehend him. Further inquiry into the incident is underway.

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