Death of pregnant woman in car blaze: Police say Sona brought petrol into car, rule out husband’s role

KOZHIKODE: Police have said that Rajinlal had no role in the death of his seven-month-pregnant wife Sona, who died after a car caught fire at Cheruvannur in Perambra. Investigators believe there is no need for further inquiry, as it has been confirmed that it was Sona who brought petrol into the car.

Police confirmed the presence of petrol inside the vehicle and said CCTV footage showed Sona arriving alone at a petrol pump and purchasing petrol in a white can. The visuals were released recently as part of the investigation.

The incident happened around 9 pm last Friday when the car driven by Rajinlal caught fire. Sona died in the blaze, while Rajinlal suffered around 65 percent burn injuries and is currently undergoing treatment at the Government Medical College, Kozhikode. The couple was returning after taking Sona to the hospital.

According to Rajinlal’s statement, he noticed a smell of petrol inside the car and questioned Sona about it. He said the car caught fire immediately after that. Police said Sona had suspected Rajinlal of having a relationship with another woman. The couple had a love marriage three years ago. Reports also say Sona had earlier attempted suicide when Rajinlal reportedly tried to withdraw from the marriage due to opposition from his family.

Investigators found that the rear seat area, where Sona was sitting, was the most damaged in the fire, while the rest of the car had only minor damage. There was also no fuel leakage from the vehicle. The post-mortem examination reportedly found traces of petrol on Sona’s body. Police are now investigating whether Sona intended to harm both herself and Rajinlal by pouring petrol inside the car. However, Sona's family continues to allege that Rajinlal was responsible for her death.

On the day of the incident, Sona had stayed at her maternal aunt's house from noon until around 7 pm. Family members said she had spoken to her cousin about alleged harassment by Rajinlal. Later in the evening, Sona and her cousin went shopping in town. During that time, Sona was reportedly missing for a short period, and police suspect she may have bought the petrol then. Rajinlal later picked her up from the aunt's house and took her to the hospital.