Rajin Lal, the husband of the 27-year-old pregnant woman who died in a car blaze at Cheruvannur near Perambra in Kozhikode recently, succumbed to his burns at the Government Medical College Hospital here on Saturday (May 24).

He had suffered severe burns in the incident that occurred around 9 p.m. on May 15 when the couple was travelling by car. Though Rajin Lal managed to escape from the vehicle with severe burns, Sona, his wife, remained trapped inside the locked car and was burnt to death.

Preliminary forensic findings had raised suspicion over the circumstances leading to the blaze as the investigators reportedly ruled out any major mechanical or engine failure. This prompted the probe team to examine the possibility of the presence of an inflammable substance inside the car.

Relatives of the deceased woman had also highlighted the suspected explosion heard by residents before the fire spread through the vehicle. Meanwhile, some family members alleged that there had been differences of opinion between the couple and unresolved disputes linked to an earlier legal dispute in the family.

Investigators said a detailed examination of CCTV footage from multiple locations had confirmed that Sona had purchased a small can of petrol earlier in the day. The footage also showed her carrying the can while returning home late in the evening with her husband after visiting her maternal aunt’s house near Perambra and consulting a gynaecologist on May 15. The police recently recorded Rajin Lal’s statement.

Investigators are examining multiple angles, including allegations by the woman’s relatives that the incident was a “planned murder” and counterclaims suggesting a possible “self-immolation attempt”.