Woman Allegedly Poured Hot Oil and Chili Powder on Her Husband as He Slept, Causing ‘Dangerous’ Injuries

A man in Delhi is recovering in the hospital after he was allegedly attacked by his wife, who reportedly poured hot oil on him while he was sleeping.

At around 3:15 a.m. on Thursday, Oct. 2, Dinesh Kumar, 28, was asleep with his wife, Sadhna, and their daughter at their home in Delhi’s Madangir area when he suddenly woke up in pain, according to reports from Hindustan Times, India Today, and NDTV.

Kumar, who works for a pharmaceutical company, alleged that when he woke, he saw Sadhna standing over him holding a container of hot oil. She allegedly warned him, “If you shout, I will pour more oil on you,” Times of India reported.

“Before I could get up or call for help, she sprinkled red chilli powder on my burns,” Kumar told police, according to the outlet.

Kumar’s cries for help were reportedly heard by neighbors, who knocked on the door but received no response, India Today reported. The couple’s landlord then contacted Kumar’s brother-in-law, Ram Sagar, who helped rush him to the hospital, according to Hindustan Times.

“On the day of the incident, we heard Dinesh screaming,” the landlord’s daughter, Anjali, told India Today TV. “When we went upstairs, his wife wasn’t opening the door, and he was badly burnt. He kept saying that his wife had poured hot oil and chilli powder on him. They had moved into our house around seven months ago,” she added.

Due to the severity of his injuries, Kumar was transferred from a local facility to Safdarjung Hospital for treatment, NDTV reported. Police confirmed his medical report described the burns as “dangerous.”

Authorities were alerted to the case after receiving a medico-legal intimation from Madan Mohan Malviya Hospital, India Today and Hindustan Times reported. The case was registered at Ambedkar Nagar police station based on Kumar’s statement and early findings.

As of now, Sadhna has not been arrested, as the investigation remains ongoing.

Police sources cited by Hindustan Times said the couple had a history of marital disputes during their eight-year marriage, including previous police complaints. Despite past conflicts, they continued to live together after reconciling.

It is alleged that the two argued shortly before going to bed on the night of the incident, India Today reported. Kumar told police he had eaten dinner after work and gone to sleep, according to NDTV.

An investigating officer told Hindustan Times, “Our investigation revealed that the woman had earlier filed a complaint against her husband at the Crime Against Women (CAW) Cell two years ago. The matter was resolved, but she filed another complaint a few weeks ago.”

If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 or visit thehotline.org. The hotline is free, confidential, and available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.