Thiruvananthapuram: A man and woman, believed to be a couple, were charred to death after a fire broke out at an insurance agency office at Pappanamcode in Kerala's Thiruvananthapuram on Tuesday afternoon. The forensic experts have confirmed the presence of petrol at the scene, fueling police suspicion that the woman might have been killed by the man, who later killed himself in the same manner. The posibility of a short circuit has also been ruled out by an electrical inspection team.
The incident came to light after locals noticed fumes emanating from the office at around 1:30 PM. They alerted the police and fire department, but it took them nearly an hour to douse the flames. By that time, the bodies had been completely charred, Times Of India reported.
The deceased woman has been identified as Vaishna, 34, a resident of Vikkubalikulam in Pappanamcode. Her husband, Binu, 42, resided in Naruvamoodu. The couple was reportedly living apart for the past year.
Initially, the police suspected that the other person who had died alongside Vaishna was a female customer who had come to the office and was burned to death in the fire. However, the post mortem report revealed that the other deceased was a male.
Police Suspect Binu Killed Vaishna Over Issues In Their Marriage
Meanwhile, police tried to establish contact with Vaishna's husband, Binu, over the phone but were unable to reach out to him as his phone remained switched off. A police team also visited his house but he was not found there either. When the police asked his mother, she said that he had gone outside for work as usual in the morning and denied knowledge of any issue between the couple.
As per the report, Vaishna had been married earlier and had two children from her first marriage. Binu was her first husband's friend. They got married seven years ago, but as issues arose between them, they began living separately.
The police stated that Binu was upset over the issues and often told his mother how his life was ruined by his wife. The police suspect that he might have taken revenge against Vaishna.
Vaishna had been working at the Pappanamcode insurance office, run by a native Mani for the last seven years. "Vaishna was a very dedicated and pleasant woman. I was shocked on hearing the news. I don't know more about it. The fire has caused a loss to the tune of Rs 5 lakh," Mani stated.
The police said that their prime focus is to identify the male body and thereafter determine the reasons behind the incident. They have checked CCTV footage from nearby shops but could not spot any visuals of Binu reaching the Vaishna's office. "More CCTV footage will be examined, and Binu's call details will also be checked. His call details will help get more information," the police said.
As of now, a case under BNS section 194 for unnatural death has been registered by the Nemom police.