Newlywed Woman Suffers 60% Burns in Darjeeling Homestay Barbecue Fire
A newly married woman visiting Darjeeling for her honeymoon suffered 60 per cent burns on September 13 when a homestay barbecue erupted into flames. An employee poured a substance onto the fire, according to police and local news reports.
Newlywed’s Honeymoon Turns to Horror in Darjeeling
Her husband, Samir Das, sustained burn injuries while trying to extinguish the flames engulfing his wife.
The incident took place at a homestay in Sitong, a popular tourist hamlet in the Darjeeling hills, according to a senior police official cited by The Telegraph Online. The couple had married about two months prior to the trip after a multi-year relationship.
Flames Erupt as Substance Thrown on Embers
According to an interview given by Souvik Das (referred to in reports as both Souvik and Samir Das) to The Indian Express, the couple had asked homestay staff for a barbecue facility around 8:30 p.m. on September 13. A staff member was cooking corn on the setup when he threw an inflammable fluid onto the embers, causing the liquid to splash onto the newlywed wife and instantly engulf her in flames.
CCTV footage obtained from the property showed fire spreading rapidly after the substance was poured, according to The Telegraph Online. The video also captured the husband attempting to put out the fire by removing his T-shirt and using it to smother the flames on his wife’s body.
Disputed Claims Over Fatal Liquid and Management Negligence
Accounts from family members and police detail conflicting claims regarding the exact liquid used. While the husband alleged that turpentine oil was poured onto the barbecue, the homestay owner, identified as Nihal Ayan, acknowledged employee negligence and stated that kerosene had been poured instead of cooking oil, according to police statements cited by The Telegraph Online.
The family lodged a formal complaint against the homestay management at the Kurseong police station. Investigators confirmed that a probe has been initiated to determine the exact sequence of events, though no arrests had been made as of the initial police filings.
Hours Lost Waiting for Transport and Medical Aid
Relatives of the injured woman also raised concerns over the lack of immediate emergency assistance and primary medical infrastructure at the location. The husband stated that they had to wait for an extended period because vehicles were not readily available at the site.
“My wife sustained 60 per cent burns,” Souvik Das told reporters in Siliguri, as reported by The Indian Express. “There was no facility for primary treatment in the homestay. There were no cars. We had to wait for hours to get a car and then bring my wife to Siliguri.”
Transfer to Siliguri Hospital as Police Investigation Continues
After relying on local transport to reach a nearby medical facility, the victim was subsequently transferred to a specialized private hospital in Siliguri, where family members arrived from Chopra as she continued treatment for her injuries.
Local police stations in Kurseong continue to review the complaint lodged by the family while examining the circumstances surrounding the deployment of accelerants near the guest setup.