NEW DELHI, APRIL 10: In what is turning out to be a shocking trend, married women are being burnt to death with amazing regularity in the apparently cosmopolitan Capital. Since Wednesday through Thursday last, three such cases have been reported from different parts of the city, across different social and economic classes.Maya Devi (30) and Jawahar were married 11 years ago. Her charred body was found yesterday. The police have arrested her husband and in-laws.The couple lived in Regharpura, Karol Bagh. While Jawahar and Maya occupied the first floor, his brother and family lived on the other two floors. According to the police, the couple had two children; a daughter aged nine and a son (10).The trouble started months ago. Maya's mother Prabho Devi told the police that her daughter's husband and in-laws would persistently harass her for dowry. The mother alleged her daughter was tortured and beaten. When matters reached a head a few months ago Maya packed her bags and moved to her parents'home.She, however, returned to her husband's house on Wednesday. Maya's parents apparently told the police that their daughter was mentally disturbed and was undergoing treatment. Documented details of this treatment were handed over to Jawahar, said Maya's parents.Police said, Jawahar has denied any hand in incident. He said he left the house at around 3.45 pm on Thursday and only came to know that Maya burnt to death much later. Both children were away in school at the time.With dowry-related crime against women showing no sign of abating, the police say there were 133 reported dowry deaths in 1996, the figure rose to 148 in 1997 and dropped to 123 in 1998. Reported cases relating to dowry and cruelty by husband or in-laws were 882 in 1996, dropped marginally to 869 in 1997 and further dipped to 747 in 1998.In another incident, a 22 year-old woman was set on the fire, allegedly by her husband, in Sangam Vihar, South Delhi, on Wednesday afternoon. Razia Sultan's three-month old daughter Asma alsosuffered burn injuries.Razia had been living with her parents in Devli village for the past four months, while her husband Shamsuddin lived in their Sangam Vihar home. In her statement to the Sub Divisional Magistrate, Razia said her husband came to meet her at around 2 pm. on Wednesday. They got into an argument, after which Shamsuddin allegedly emptied a stove of kerosene on her and then set her afire.When she rushed around the room in an attempt to douse the flames she stumbled on Asma, who was sleeping in a corner. According to the police, Shamsuddin apparently panicked and tried to save his wife and daughter by pouring a bucket of water on them. He subsequently fled. Also on Wednesday, a husband allegedly set his wife, Rajkumari on fire in Budh Vihar, Sultanpuri. In the process, his mother, Saraswati, also suffered burn injuries while trying to save Rajkumari.While Saraswati died at the LNJP Hospital on Thursday morning, her daughter-in-law's condition is serious. According to the police,Rajkumari's husband Sunil came home drunk on Wednesday night and got into an argument.
