Woman burned alive for dowry in Muzaffapur

Patna: A 24-year-old woman, Khushbu Kumari alias Shabnam, was allegedly burned alive by her husband and other family members at Kurhani Tola under Kurhani police station area in Muzaffarpur district on Sunday, around 71km from Patna.
Police sources in Muzaffarpur said that the neighbours of Khushbu heard her screams on Sunday morning and spotted flames rising from the house, after which the police were alerted.The woman died by the time neighbours and police arrived to rescue her.
"Khushbu's body was recovered in a completely burned condition," said Kurhani police station SHO Raman Kumar, adding it was yet not clear if she was burned alive or was strangulated before being set afire. The body has been sent for autopsy to SKMCH, Muzaffarpur, which would shed light on whether she was burned alive.
The SHO said the woman's mother, Anita Devi (50), has lodged a named FIR with the Kurhani police station. She has named Khushbu's husband Jitendra Kumar Singh (26), brother-in-law Dharmendra Singh (22) and mother-in-law Manju Devi (49). He said Anita has informed police that Khushbu's in-laws and husband were demanding Rs 5 lakh as dowry from her for the past two years.
"She got married in 2012 and the couple had a nine-month-old boy," the SHO said, adding Jitendra was a farmer. All the three accused escaped from the house after the incident.
He said Khushbu was a native of Karpoori Gram village under the Mufassil police station area in Samastipur district.