Woman found dead with hands and mouth tied with clutch wire after house fire in Madhya Pradesh

BHOPAL: A 60-year-old woman was found dead under suspicious circumstances after a fire broke out in her house in Damoh district, with police suspecting foul play after her hands and mouth were found tied with a clutch wire.

The incident took place around midnight on Saturday in Sahri village under Tendukheda police station limits. The deceased has been identified as Halli Bai.

Police said a fire broke out in the woman's house, and her son Santosh alerted villagers. A call was made to Dial 112, following which police reached the spot. By then, the thatched roof had collapsed and the woman's body was buried under the debris.

The body was recovered on Sunday morning after the debris was cleared. During examination, police found that the woman's hands and mouth were tied, raising suspicion of murder.

Villagers said only the mother and son were present in the house at the time of the incident. While the son managed to escape, locals alleged that no attempt was made to rescue the woman.

Some villagers also claimed that Santosh was addicted to drugs and did not work, and that the family owned around 2.5 acres of agricultural land. The woman's husband had died nearly 30 years ago.

Police said son is being questioned. Police said they are examining whether the woman died in the fire or was killed before it.