A six-month-old infant dies after woman sets two minor daughters on fire

A six-month-old infant died while her minor sibling sustained burns when their mother allegedly set them afire before trying to commit suicide at a village in Gujarat's Chhota Udaipur district, police said.

Uthaliben Dhanuk (25) wrapped her two daughters -- Anti (6 months old) and Sanni (4) -- in a blanket, sprinkled kerosene over them and set them ablaze last evening at their home in Koliyathar village under Rangpur police station limits of Chhota Udaipur, about 100 kms from Vadodara, police inspector S L Gamethi said.

After setting her children on fire, Dhanuk also tried to commit suicide, but later ran away from the place, he said.

Her husband Dhokaliya Dhanuk and other locals rushed to the house after seeing smoke emanating from it.

They brought out both the children from the house and rushed them to a hospital where the infant succumbed to her burns this morning, Gamethi said.

Police have launched a search for the woman, he said, adding that a case under IPC sections 302 (murder) and 307 (attempt to murder) has been registered against her.

According to police, the woman's husband said his wife was mentally disturbed for last six months.

-PTI