4 Arrested After Newlywed Woman Suffers Burns at Darjeeling Sittong Homestay

PTI, 19 September, 2026, Kolkata : Four people were arrested on Saturday in connection with an incident in which a young woman tourist suffered severe burn injuries while a barbecue was being prepared at a homestay in Darjeeling district of West Bengal, a senior police officer said.

Those arrested include the owner of the homestay, a staff member and the person who allegedly poured kerosene onto the barbecue grill, triggering the blaze, he said.

The woman, identified as Nikita Saha, suffered 60 per cent burns after flames suddenly engulfed her during the barbecue session. Her husband, who suffered burn injuries while trying to rescue her, was discharged after treatment.

“We arrested four people in connection with the matter. Everybody’s role is being probed,” the police officer said.

The incident took place at the homestay in Sitong area under the jurisdiction of Kurseong police station. The couple, residents of Chopra in Uttar Dinajpur district, had travelled to the hills for their honeymoon.

Police have seized CCTV footage from the homestay as part of the investigation, the officer said, adding that the footage reportedly shows a person pouring a liquid onto the barbecue grill, following which the flames suddenly flared up and engulfed the woman.

“The matter is being looked into seriously,” Darjeeling Superintendent of Police Yelwadh Shrikant Jagannathrao said.

The police are examining the circumstances leading to the incident, including the nature of the liquid used on the barbecue grill and the safety arrangements at the homestay.

The injured woman is undergoing treatment at a private hospital in Siliguri, the police officer said, adding that her condition was reported to be serious.

The arrests came after the woman’s family lodged a complaint with Kurseong police station, alleging negligence and inadequate safety arrangements at the homestay.

Incidentally, CCTV footage from the homestay showed flames spreading rapidly after a liquid was poured onto the barbecue grill, causing Nikita to catch fire.

Nikita’s husband alleged that the fire broke out after turpentine oil was poured onto the barbecue.

However, homestay owner Nihal Ayan reportedly acknowledged negligence by an employee and said kerosene had been poured instead of cooking oil.

The family has also alleged that no safety precautions were taken, and the homestay authorities did not provide adequate assistance after the incident. 

KalimNews: The four arrested of Aura Homestay (Nihal Ayan, Pawan Kumar Agarwal, Dipen Lama, and Nasiruddin) accused were produced before the Kuseong Court and have been remanded in police custody for four days.