Constable succumbs to burn injuries days after accusing wife & in-laws of immolation bid

Bhubaneswar: A 31-year old constable, who had accused his wife and brother-in-law of setting him on fire, succumbed to his burn injuries while undergoing treatment at AIIMS Bhubaneswar on Friday morning.

The deceased, Ashutosh Mrudungia of Motor Vehicle Department, had been battling for his life in the hospital’s burn ward after suffering nearly 80 per cent burns on June 5 near his wife’s government quarters in the police colony at Bijipur Chowk, under Berhampur Town police limits.

What was initially suspected as a case of self-immolation took a dramatic turn following Mrudungia’s statement, recorded by the police in the presence of a magistrate at AIIMS Bhubaneswar, in which he alleged that his wife, Sandhya Nayak, a police constable posted at the Ganjam district police headquarters, and her brother, Dibas Nayak, had deliberately set him ablaze.

According to his statement, Mrudungia visited his wife’s quarters, where the sibling duo allegedly poured petrol over him. He claimed that as he desperately attempted to escape the quarters, his brother-in-law lit a matchstick, engulfing him in flames.

Police said he was seen running down the staircase engulfed in fire before entering the home of Havildar Gopal Nayak in a desperate bid for survival. While attempting a rescue, Nayak reportedly suffered burn injuries to his hands. Asutosh was initially rushed to MKCG Medical College and Hospital before being shifted to AIIMS Bhubaneswar.

Following a formal complaint lodged by the victim’s sister, Nibedita Patra, Berhampur Town police registered a criminal case against Sandhya and Dibas Nayak.

Sources close to the investigation indicate that a scientific team has since recovered critical physical evidence from the crime scene, including a plastic bottle suspected to have held the fuel and a matchbox. Furthermore, the mobile phones of the victim, his wife, and his brother-in-law, have been sent for forensic examination to map out the timeline of events leading up to the incident.

During investigation, police also uncovered a history of marital discord between the couple. On May 18, Sandhya had lodged a domestic assault complaint against Mrudungia, which resulted in his arrest. The constable had been released on bail on June 2, a mere three days before the fatal confrontation took place.