3 min readMay 19, 2026 01:54 PM IST
A 26-year-old man died after he allegedly set himself on fire outside his wife’s home in Northwest Delhi’s Jahangirpuri on Monday night.
Police said initial reports blaming the wife and her mother for the incident are incorrect.
According to police, a PCR call regarding the incident was received at the Mahendra Park police station on May 18 from A Block in Jahangirpuri. When police personnel, along with the Station House Officer (SHO), reached the spot, they found the man, identified as Deepansh Chaudhary, in a severely burnt condition. He was rushed to Babu Jagjivan Ram Memorial Hospital, where he died during treatment.
Senior police officers said a preliminary inquiry indicated that Chaudhary had a dispute with his wife. “The deceased and his wife were facing marital issues, and a complaint had previously been filed at the Crime Against Women (CAW) cell. On the day of the incident, after an altercation, he allegedly threatened to end his life and subsequently set himself on fire outside her residence,” a senior police officer said.
Police also clarified that rumours circulating in sections of the local media, alleging that the man’s wife and mother-in-law had set him on fire, are baseless. “Initial inquiry suggests it is a case of self-immolation. Legal action will follow based on further investigation,” the officer added.
Sources said neighbours had alerted the police after spotting a man engulfed in flames outside the house late Monday night.
Police also uncovered details of a troubled relationship between the couple. The two had reportedly met last year, during which the man allegedly claimed to be a government officer. Police said the woman later discovered that he worked as a cab driver. She had initially refused to marry him, but he allegedly threatened to leak private videos, after which she agreed to the marriage.
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However, within two days of the wedding in January this year, police said the woman reportedly left following allegations of physical assault. Since then, the man had been attempting reconciliation, but she had expressed her desire for a divorce.
On the day of the incident, police said, he went to her residence, where an argument ensued. When she reiterated her refusal to continue the marriage, he allegedly consumed phenyl and set himself on fire.
Police said further inquiry is underway to verify all claims and establish the exact sequence of events.
