Nikita Saha remains hospitalized after a barbecue fire in Sittong, while police investigate negligence allegations and the circumstances of the blaze.
DARJEELING, India — Four people have been arrested after a newlywed woman suffered severe burns during a barbecue at a homestay in West Bengal’s Darjeeling district, with police examining the conduct of those responsible for the property and the circumstances that caused the fire.
Nikita Saha, 23, was seriously injured Sept. 13 while staying with her husband, Souvik Das, at a homestay in Sittong during their honeymoon. Published reports have estimated that burns affected roughly 55% to 60% of her body. She was taken to a private medical facility in Siliguri, where reports have described her condition as critical. Das was also burned while trying to help his wife but was later discharged after treatment.
Darjeeling district police arrested four people in connection with the case. The Telegraph identified them as homestay owners Pawan Kumar Agarwal and his son, Nehal Airan; manager Dipen Lama; and Nasiruddin, the man police are investigating over his alleged role in handling the barbecue. The four were produced before a court in Kurseong and remanded to four days in police custody as investigators continued questioning them. Police have not announced a final finding on criminal responsibility.
The fire broke out while the couple was sitting near a barbecue at the property. Video footage reviewed and described by several Indian news organizations shows a man approaching the barbecue with a container and adding liquid to the fire. The flames then suddenly flare and spread toward Saha. Das is seen trying to extinguish the flames, and another man also appears to assist. Police have obtained footage as part of their investigation.
Reports differ on the exact substance used on the barbecue. Police accounts cited in some reports referred to kerosene, while other coverage described it more generally as a flammable or lighter fluid. Investigators are examining the substance and how it was handled. Authorities have not established publicly that the fire was deliberately set, and an arrest does not establish guilt.
Das told reporters that he and Saha had asked the homestay to arrange a barbecue during their stay. He alleged that a person tending the fire poured fluid onto it before the flames spread to his wife. Das also accused the property of inadequate preparation and said the couple faced a delay in arranging transportation for medical treatment after the fire. Those allegations are among the issues police are investigating.
One point also remains unclear concerning Nasiruddin’s relationship to the property. Some reports described him as a worker or staff member, while a later Telegraph report cited a source who said he was not formally employed by the homestay and instead occasionally visited an acquaintance who worked there. Police are investigating the role of each arrested person rather than treating those descriptions as settled findings.
Saha and Das are residents of the Chopra area of North Dinajpur district and had married about two months before the incident, according to local reporting. They checked into the Sittong property on Sept. 13 and had planned a short stay. Das later filed a complaint with Kurseong police alleging negligence by the homestay authorities, prompting an investigation into the fire and the safety arrangements at the property.
The woman’s family has also questioned whether the incident was simply an accident. Jagran reported that a relative expressed suspicion about the circumstances of the fire. Police, however, had not publicly concluded that the blaze was intentional as of the latest reports. Investigators were considering the available video, statements from those involved and other evidence while determining what happened before and after the flames erupted.
The case has also drawn attention from the Himalayan Hospitality & Tourism Development Network, which represents tourism stakeholders in the region. The organization called on homestays and other tourism businesses to use proper safety procedures, supervision and emergency preparation when providing barbecues, bonfires or similar fire-related activities. Its comments came as questions were raised about safety practices at the Sittong property.
Saha remained hospitalized in Siliguri in the latest reports, while the four arrested people were in police custody for further investigation. Authorities had not released a final determination on the cause of the fire or announced the outcome of the investigation as of Sept. 20.