DARBHANGA: A 36-year-old woman, who was eight months pregnant and earlier lost her child in the womb after suffering burn injuries, succumbed on Tuesday while undergoing treatment at a Patna hospital, days after she was set on fire for resisting an attempt to bulldoze her house on February 10 in Bihar’s Darbhanga.

Her sister, Nikki, sustained minor burn injuries while their brother was battling for his life with 80% burns.

Nikki said in 2017, her family came to know that Shiv Kumar Jha, the main accused in the attack on their family, illegally purchased their house from her cousin Kapileshwar Singh. She said her family has been living in the house for four decades after her aunt gave it to them. The matter has been sub-judice in the Patna high court since 2019.

Nikki accused police of inaction despite their repeated pleas. She added her mother, Rita Jha, a widow, informed senior police superintendent (SSP) Ashok Kumar Prasad about a planned attack on their family.

The family has accused Shiv Kumar Jha of hiring goons to demolish their house. “…on February 10, we went to meet the SSP at his office but we were not allowed to meet him. The SSP talked to us over the phone when the officer in charge at the Town Police Station refused to accept our complaint,” said Nikki. She added their complaint was accepted on Thursday but the same evening Shiv Kumar Jha and 40 others attacked them and started demolishing their house. “When we… resisted their attempt, they doused us with a petrol-like substance and set us on fire.”

She added had police provided them security with timely action, her sister, Pinki Jha, could have been saved. “We are now concerned about the life of my brother. We are completely shattered. Those, who are guilty, should not be spared. Shiv Kumar Jha continues to be absconding and police have failed to arrest him.”

Prasad, who did not take calls for comment, earlier removed Town Police Station in-charge Rakesh Kumar Singh over dereliction of duty in handling the case.

Police have arrested eight people for their alleged role in the attack. A case has been registered against Shiv Kumar Jha and 40 unidentified people.