A 30-year-old police constable died of injuries at Victoria Hospital on Thursday after he was allegedly set on fire by his female friend a fortnight ago .
The deceased was identified as Sanjay Rajaiah. He was attached to the Basavanagudi police station.
According to the police, when he was admitted to hospital he claimed that he had sustained burn injuries accidentally while cooking.
However, two days before he died, he changed his statement accusing his female friend Rani of pouring petrol and setting him on fire, after a heated argument. She later doused the fire and brought him to Victoria Hospital for treatment, he had alleged.
As she was present at the time of admission, Sanjay gave the statement that it was an accident, he claimed.
In his statement, Sanjay said that he had met Rani while she was working at the station and they got into a relationship. Rani, who was married and had two children, was working as a Home Guard at the station but quit to join as a security guard at a private firm. A few days later, Sanjay realised that Rani was having an affair with another man and started avoiding him when he questioned her. Following arguments, Sanjay in December went to her house to talk and a heated argument ensued between them when Rani threatened to set him on fire, he alleged.
Sanjay went to a nearby petrol pump and returned with a bottle of petrol challenging Rani to set him on fire. Rani took the bottle and poured petrol on Sanjay before setting him on fire, Sanjay in his statement told the police.
When Sanjay screamed for help, Rani doused the fire and took him to the hospital and requested him to tell the doctor that it was an accident, he had said in his complaint.
Based on the complaint, the jurisdictional Hanumanthanagar police registered a case of attempt to murder recently and transferred the case to Puttenahalli police as the incident occurred in their jurisdiction. However, Sanjay developed complications and succumbed to his injuries on Thursday.
The police have registered a case of murder against Rani and taken her into custody. Rani told the police that Sanjay was harassing her and threatening to commit suicide frequently.
On December 6, he brought a bottle of petrol and poured it on himself after an argument and set himself on fire to scare her, she alleged.
The police have now recorded the statement and are awaiting reports from FSL and post-mortem to ascertain the exact cause of death.
