Mystery shrouded the death of a young couple who succumbed to their burn injuries at the Tata Main Hospital. They were admitted at TMH with high percentage of burns on Friday and took last breath on Monday morning.
The victims were identified as Rakesh Tiwary (36) and Jinni Tiwary (33), both residents of Old Purulia Road in Mango.
The kin in their statement to the police claimed that Jinni was burnt while cooking in the kitchen on Friday morning, while Rakesh was burnt while trying save his wife.
The police maintain that as per the statement this was a case of mishap, but said they would investigate the circumstances under which the couple was burnt.
Assistant sub-inspector of police, Ravindra Sharma of Bistupur police station said that he visited to the hospital's burn care unit to take the statement of the victims.
"It was a difficult task as both of them had sustained above 90 per cent burns and were not in a condition to speak. But from the condition of the victims, I assumed that it must not be a case of mishap. We think there must be some foul play," said Sharma. He, however, stated that the kin of the victims’ family have claimed that this was a mishap and the police will register a case accordingly subject to a probe into the circumstance leading to the fire mishap. The ASI said the bodies were sent to the MGM Medical College mortuary, for autopsy.
According to information, Rakesh owned a television shop at Mango market and was father of two children — a three-year-old boy, and a one-year-old girl.
Rakesh's uncle, Satrughna Tiwary said his nephew used to stay along with his family at Old Purulia Road. "We are in state of shock. They led a happy life and none of us could know exactly how they got burnt so severely. The children were also at home when the fire incident took place, but they are so young that they can hardly know exactly what led the couple to get burnt," Satrughna.
The victim's uncle said that having seen the smoke and hearing the screams, the neighbours had rushed to their house and rushed them to the hospital, adding that they did not know whether there was any fight between the couple.