Mumbai: Debt-ridden former bar dancer sets herself ablaze

21 March,2016 12:05 PM IST |   |  Saurabh Vaktania

A 40-year-old ex-bar dancer died after setting herself ablaze and falling from the second floor of a building in Khar on Saturday. She took the step after a fight with her husband over being in debt and his alcoholism

Khar bar dancer suicide


A 40-year-old ex-bar dancer died after setting herself ablaze and falling from the second floor of a building in Khar on Saturday. The woman, identified as Fatima Khan, committed suicide following a fight with her husband over being in debt and his alcoholism. Police have arrested her husband Mehraj Khan (28).


Representational picture

The cops said Fatima used to dance in a bar in Khar while it was still allowed and after it shut down, she and her husband found themselves in debt as Mehraj, a building contractor, also became an alcoholic and incurred heavy losses. Also, Mehraj was Fatima's second husband, and she had a son from her first marriage who now lives in Pune.

Police says
A police officer said, "The couple had financial problems and frequently fought over it. Fatima had earlier too threatened to kill herself if Mehraj didn't sober up and concentrate on work. She was hoping that dance bars would start operating again but was concerned if she was overage for the job."

On Saturday evening, the couple's fight escalated to such a level that Mehraj poured kerosene on himself, as well as Fatima and told her kill both of them. When he left home, Fatima set herself ablaze. The police officer added, "It was not clear if she jumped from the second floor or fell down. Even after falling from the second floor, she was screaming for help. Her neighbours doused the fire and rushed her to Bhabha Hospital, where she was declared dead on arrival. We have arrested her husband Mehraj for abetment of suicide." Mehraj will be produced in court today.

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