PESHAWAR: A woman suffered severe burns when her husband allegedly set her ablaze by throwing petrol on her at her house in Mardan district of northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, her family said Wednesday.

Shahida, who is currently fighting for her life at a hospital in Chakwal district of Punjab province, said her husband Taseer Khan sprinkled petrol on her and set her on fire after a minor domestic dispute.

The burn victim, in her mid-twenties, said she was locked up in a room and was not allowed medical treatment for three days after the incident.

The girl’s family said she received medical attention only after they rescued her from her husband’s house and took her to a hospital in Chakwal, where she is now being treated.

Shahida suffered severe burn injuries on her face while her entire body was badly charred.

Murad, a brother of the ill-fated girl, said that about 90 per cent of her body had been burnt and her condition was “very serious”. The family also claimed the victim was also pregnant at the time of the alleged incident and that she suffered a miscarriage after she was badly beaten up by her husband.

When contacted, officers at the Mardan Cantt Police station said they have taken Taseer Khan under custody after registering an attempted murder case against the accused.

The police said they had initiated further investigation into the case.