Woman allegedly set on fire in Varanasi, dies

A 40-year-old woman succumbed to her burn injuries today at a government hospital in Varanasi, after being allegedly set on fire by an occultist.

The woman was 'set' ablaze yesterday at her house when a tantrik (occultist) identified as Chotelal alias Baba Yadav, had came to treat her while she was keeping unwell, Station House Officer, Shiv Kumar said.

Some villagers later heard the woman's shouting and crying and ran for her rescue, and immediately rushed her to a government hospital in Kabir Chaura area. While the villagers allege that the occultist set the woman on fire, police has denied this charge, and added that the man, in his 50s, was a regular visitor and was visiting the woman's house from the last 5 to 6 years.

On the complaint of the victim's daughter, an FIR has been registered against the occultist, the SHO said.

The body of the woman has been sent for postmortem and the exact reason of her death will be ascertained after its report comes out, Kumar said, adding, further investigations are on.