A 30-year-old housewife was mercilessly beaten and then burnt to death allegedly by her husband and in-laws following a family feud in a village in West Bengal's West Midnapore district on Friday, police said. Also, the woman's baby daughter fell from her lap and died while she was being tortured.
To erase evidence of the crime, the family members locked Sultana Bibi and her one-and-a half year-old daughter Mamoni Khatun inside a room and set it afire.
Mr Swarup Basak, the officer-in-charge of Keshpur police station, said, "A complaint was lodged by the family members of Sultana against family members of Alam Giri, the husband."
A police official said, "Alam Giri beat up his wife Sultana following a family feud. While beating Sultana, the child fell from her mother's lap and died. Sultana also received severe injuries. To cover up the crime, Alam and his family members locked Sultana and the baby in a room and set it on fire and started shouting that a fire has engulfed their house."
After committing the crime the family members of Alam Giri fled. Sheikh Mohiuddin, father of Sultana who resides in the same village, lodged a police complaint.
Police rushed to the spot and recovered the charred bodies.
Mr Basak said, "Forida Bibi, one of the family members of Alam Giri was arrested. An investigation has been initiated and we are conducting raids to nab the other culprits."