Footage of woman buying petrol in can, who is she? mystery deepens in pregnant Sona’s death

KOZHIKODE: Mystery deepens in the death of eight-month-pregnant Sona, who was burnt to death after a moving car caught fire in Perambra. With police confirming that the fire was pre-planned, efforts are underway to determine exactly how the blaze was triggered. Police hint that the investigation is focusing on Sona herself.

Police indicate that the investigation shifted in this direction following the statement of Sona’s husband, Rejin Lal and CCTV visuals showing a woman resembling Sona buying petrol in a can from a pump. Police had earlier confirmed that petrol was stored inside the car.

Sona was seated in the back seat when the incident occurred. He reportedly told police that while driving, he sensed the smell of petrol inside the car and turned back to ask where it was coming from, but before he could react, flames spread in the car. He suffered nearly 60 percent burns and is in a critical condition.

Meanwhile, CCTV footage recovered from a petrol pump near Perambra town shows a woman resembling Sona buying petrol in a can. However, police have not yet officially confirmed whether the woman in the footage is indeed Sona. Police also found that Sona had gone out with a relative on the day of the incident. Around 7:30 pm, Rejin Lal picked her up from the relative’s house, and the accident occurred during the journey back home. Sona, a native of Paleri in Perambra, later succumbed to her injuries.

Sona’s family had earlier alleged that the death was suspicious and planned. They are now planning to submit a complaint to the chief minister after receiving the post-mortem and forensic reports, according to her uncle A K Sathyan.

Her family had accused Rejin Lal of orchestrating the incident to eliminate Sona. They alleged that some dangerous material was placed inside the car intentionally and that he appeared to have deliberately set her on fire. The family also claimed that instead of attempting to open the rear door and rescue Sona, he tried to save himself by jumping into a nearby canal. Preliminary forensic findings reportedly rule out a short circuit as the cause of the fire. Experts from the motor vehicles department and forensic teams found no defects in the vehicle’s wiring or fuel tank during inspection.