Supaul: A young mother and her four-year-old daughter were killed after a late-night fire swept through a brick and-thatched house in Bihar’s Supaul district, police said. The victims, identified as 22-year-old Neelam Devi and her daughter Anjali Kumari, were reportedly asleep when the blaze broke out around 2:30am, trapping them inside and leaving no opportunity for escape.
Family members said Neelam had travelled to her parental home in Balwa Punervas with her daughter for a brief visit. Married for seven to eight years to Pintu Yadav, a resident of Aran Bishanpur in Saharsa district, she usually lived with her in-laws while her husband worked in Delhi. The couple’s younger son is currently staying with his father in the capital.
Preliminary reports indicate the fire spread rapidly due to the thatched roofing and combustible household materials, reducing the structure to ashes within minutes. Neighbours reported hearing cries for help but were unable to reach the victims as the flames intensified. The incident has left the neighbourhood in shock, with relatives describing the loss as devastating and unexpected.
Police and local officials arrived shortly after receiving information about the incident and recovered the bodies, which were sent to Sadar Hospital, Supaul for postmortem examination. Investigators are examining the cause of the fire, with early suspicions pointing to a possible electrical short circuit or sparks from a cooking stove.
Sadar police station in-charge Ramsevak Rawat said no formal complaint has yet been filed by the family, adding that further legal action will depend on the submission of a written application. The victim’s husband has informed authorities that he is travelling from Delhi and is expected to reach Supaul soon as the investigation continues.
