Drunk man sets pregnant wife on fire, held

Bhubaneswar: A man was arrested for allegedly setting his pregnant wife on fire in a drunken condition in Odisha's Kalahandi district, police said on Friday.

The incident took place at Jagannathpur village, about 430 km from the state capital Bhubaneswar, on Thursday and was detected by a neighbour who saw the fire and called an ambulance.

Baijanath Sabar, 25, came home in an inebriated state in the afternoon and had a fight with wife Basanti, 21, over some trivial matters.

In a sudden fit of rage, he set her on fire after pouring kerosene on her, the local police station chief, Inspector S.R. Pujari, told IANS.

The seven-month pregnant woman has sustained more than 99 percent burn injuries and her condition is stated to be critical. She is struggling for life in the local hospital, the police official said.

The couple married about a year ago and have no children. Baijanath used to quarrel and beat his wife under the influence of liquor quite often, he added.