Woman arrested for murdering mother-in-law, setting home on fire

By Barnabas Karunagari | November 26, 2025

New Delhi, INDIA: A 32-year-old pregnant woman has been arrested for allegedly murdering her mother-in-law with a hammer and attempting to pass the crime off as an accidental fire at their home in north Delhi’s Wazirabad. Police said the killing was planned and driven by a family property dispute.

The victim, Nasrin, 58, lived with her three sons — Adnan on the ground floor, Rizwan on the first floor, and Salman on the second floor with his wife, Aafreen. The couple married in April this year. At the time of the incident, only Nasrin and Aafreen were at home; the others had left for work.

A PCR call about a house fire was received on November 19. “We were told an elderly woman was trapped inside the burning house. The fire was on the first floor and was doused shortly after,” said Raja Banthia, DCP (North). The charred body of Nasrin was recovered and taken to a hospital, where she was declared dead.

What initially appeared to be a fire accident soon raised suspicions. Police said Aafreen gave multiple conflicting statements — first claiming that three to four men assaulted her and stole jewellery, and later alleging she had been struck with a hammer. A forensic inspection revealed a bloodstained hammer at the spot and a strong smell of kerosene, indicating an attempt to destroy evidence.

The post-mortem confirmed that Nasrin died due to four severe blows to the head. “The injuries were consistent with the recovered hammer. Based on the findings, a case of murder under Section 103 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) was registered,” the DCP said.

Investigators believe the murder was premeditated and linked to Aafreen’s fear that Nasrin intended to transfer the entire property to her younger son, Rizwan, a schoolteacher. Aafreen has been taken into police custody, and further investigation is underway.