Overview

• Meghali Saikia, 42, succumbed Wednesday morning to burns covering more than 80% of her body at Tezpur’s local government hospital after a fire at her home in Pahumara Chuburi in Sonitpur district.
• Police arrested her husband, 45-year-old Jayanta Saikia, early Wednesday on suspicion he poured petrol on her and set her ablaze following a domestic dispute at their residence.
• A murder case (No. 548/25) was registered at Tezpur Police Station under section 103 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita on the same day she died.
• The victim’s family alleges Jayanta Saikia orchestrated the attack as part of ongoing domestic violence, while his relatives assert Meghali self-immolated and that Jayanta’s brother was burned trying to save her.
• Investigators are recording statements from both families and witnesses and have sent the body for a postmortem examination to determine how the fire began.