Octogenarian woman ‘sets her room afire’ to implicate granddaughter-in-law in false case

In a bizarre incident, an octogenarian woman allegedly set her own room afire with a sinister design to implicate her granddaughter-in-law in a false case.

Though no loss of life was incurred in the incident, household goods and fixtures worth lakhs were damaged that could have caused a tragedy, had residents not gathered to douse the fire that broke out on Sunday.

However, owing to social stigma, the family, led by the woman’s son Kuldeep Singh, has termed the incident as an ‘accidental fire’ for which no action had been sought against anyone.

Residents of the locality, on the other hand, said it was not the lone unpredictable action of the woman, who reportedly wants her decisions to be implemented in the family by creating pressure in such a manner.

The granddaughter-in-law might have faced police action or social stigma had a video clip showing the elderly woman carrying a burning piece of cloth from kitchen to her room not gone viral.

Acknowledging the burning of household goods at a house in his ward, former president Municipal Council Vikas Tandon said the family was still in shock and had reported the ‘mishap’ to the police.

“According to the family, no outsider was involved in the incident. Hence, it wanted no action in the matter,” he said.

Will any NGO or women commission take notice of the alleged attempt to implement a woman in a false case?

Showing ignorance about the incident, Ahmedgarh DSP Rajan Sharma said the police would probe the matter if a complaint was received.

Ludhiana