PUNE: The Chinchwad police have booked a man for allegedly setting his wife on fire. The incident occurred on Tuesday at Walhekarwadi in Chinchwad.

The police said that after the accused set his wife on fire, he locked the room to prevent her from seeking medical treatment.

The accused has been identified as Umesh Kamble (36) of Walhekarwadi who set his wife Harshada on fire using diesel. The victim has sustained 30 per cent burns on her body.

Raghunath Sodanvar, Police Sub-Inspector of Chinchwad police station, said, “The accused is a drunkard and often used to fight with his wife because of her objection to his drinking habit. On Tuesday afternoon after consuming alcohol, he came home and got into an altercation with the victim. While having an argument with the victim, he went berserk and set her on fire using diesel. Somehow, the victim managed to put down the fire but suffered 30 per cent burn injuries.”

Sodanvar said that the victim informed the police that Kamble locked her inside the house and didn’t allow her to visit a hospital for the treatment. Later, the victim contacted her mother who came to her rescue.

“The victim met her mother at Chaphekar Chowk. How she came out of the house will be clear only after investigation,” added Sodanvar. The police have arrested the accused and booked him under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code.