Man burns father-in-law alive for protecting daughter, Arrested after 3-day hunt

By Barnabas Karunagari | August 26, 2025

New Delhi, INDIA: A 60-year-old man who tried to protect his daughter from her abusive husband was set ablaze by his son-in-law in Delhi’s Ghazipur area and later succumbed to his injuries. The accused, a 32-year-old man identified as Sandeep, was arrested after a three-day manhunt and has now been remanded to judicial custody.

The Incident

The shocking crime occurred in the early hours of August 16 at Rajveer Colony, Gharoli Extension, where the victim, Ranveer Singh, an auto-rickshaw driver, lived with his family. According to police, Singh’s youngest daughter, Nisha, had returned to her parents’ home on August 7 following yet another violent quarrel with her husband, Sandeep, who was known for alcohol abuse and physical assault.

On the morning of the attack, Singh was preparing to bathe when Sandeep arrived at the residence carrying a 300ml plastic bottle of petrol and a lighter. Eyewitnesses and Singh’s own statement recorded at Lal Bahadur Shastri (LBS) Hospital revealed that Sandeep shouted: “Why don’t you send Nisha with me? Today I will teach you a lesson.” He then poured petrol on Singh and set him ablaze before fleeing the scene.

Singh’s wife, Santosh, and daughter, Nisha, rushed to douse the flames with water while his son, Vrijesh, called the police. A PCR van shifted him to LBS Hospital, where doctors reported 20% burns across his face, chest, and torso. Later, he was referred to Safdarjung Hospital for advanced treatment.

Despite medical intervention, Singh succumbed to his injuries on August 24 — eight days after the attack. Following his death, police added Section 103 (murder) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) to the FIR initially registered under attempt to murder and related sections.

History of Abuse

Nisha, who had been married to Sandeep for eight years, told police that her husband routinely assaulted her under the influence of alcohol. “I was not happy with him, so my father asked me not to go with him. My husband was angry that my father stopped me from returning. He burnt my father alive. He should be hanged. I want him dead,” she said, breaking down in front of reporters.

Investigators said Sandeep was known for his violent behaviour and substance abuse. Police found that he had previously attempted to open a gas cylinder at his home in a fit of rage and had also assaulted his own mother.

The Arrest

After the attack, Sandeep fled and destroyed his mobile phone to evade tracking. However, Delhi Police mounted a search operation using technical surveillance and local informants. On August 19, three days after the crime, he was spotted near his former workplace — a private school in Ghaziabad, where he had worked as a gardener. He was immediately apprehended.

The accused has since been produced before a court and remanded to judicial custody. Police said further investigation is underway to establish his criminal history and collect additional evidence.

Police Statement

A senior officer from East Delhi said: “This is a case of extreme domestic violence that escalated into murder. The victim’s dying declaration and the forensic evidence collected from the scene — including a burnt plastic bottle with traces of inflammable liquid and a yellow lighter — are crucial in the case. The accused has been arrested, and we are preparing a strong chargesheet.”