Jodhpur lecturer sets herself, 3-year-old daughter on fire; suicide note alleges dowry harassment

A school lecturer and her three-year-old daughter have died after a suspected dowry harassment case culminated in a devastating act of self-immolation in Rajasthan’s Jodhpur district. The incident has sparked a police investigation and a bitter familial dispute over the victims’ remains.

According to reports, the tragedy unfolded on Friday afternoon in Sarnada village. Sanju Bishnoi returned from the school where she taught and in the absence of her husband and in-laws, doused herself and her young daughter, Yashasvi, in petrol before setting them both alight. Neighbours alerted the police and family after seeing smoke, but by the time help arrived, it was too late. Yashasvi died at the scene.

Sanju Bishnoi succumbed to her injuries during treatment on Saturday morning. A dispute over her body subsequently arose between her parents and her in-laws, which was resolved after a post-mortem examination, with the body being handed over to the parents. The mother and daughter were finally cremated together.

The police investigation took a critical turn with the discovery of an alleged suicide note. The note, as reported by NDTV, accused Bishnoi’s husband, Dilip Bishnoi, his parents and his sister of relentless harassment for dowry. It also named another individual, Ganpat Singh, alleging that he and the husband would harass her together physically. Police have seized the woman's mobile phone and are attempting to locate Singh.