Indian-origin woman burned alive in New Zealand: Report

Melbourne, Jan 24 (PTI) Police in New Zealand havealerted the Interpol to trace the husband of an Indian-originwoman who was allegedly burnt to death last week in thatcountry, a media report said.

According to the police, the husband of the victim,identified as Ranjeeta Sharma, 28, have fled to Fiji, wherethe couple came from, along with their four-year-old son onFriday, a day after her body was spotted burning by the sideof an isolated road near Huntly, the ''Waikato Times'' reported.

The police said that the couple''s car was recovered atAuckland airport.

Detective Senior Sergeant Nigel Keall said the focuswas now on finding her husband, whom police were yet to name.

"He is considered a person of considerablesignificance to the investigation and we are working withInterpol to locate and speak to him. We are also working withoverseas authorities to establish the wellbeing of the youngboy and ensure his safety," he said.

Keall confirmed police were executing search warrantsat a number of addresses over the next few days in the SouthAuckland area.

The police have also appealed for sightings of thevictim''s car, a silver Subaru station-wagon, registration FSD433 in the South Auckland and Huntly-Rotowaro areas onThursday or Friday.

The police had earlier confirmed Sharma was stillalive when she was set alight and forensic tests had confirmedan accelerant was used.

The police would not, however, comment on whetherthe case was a "bride burning", or honour killing, a form ofdomestic violence practised on the Indian subcontinent when avictim had brought shame on the family, the report said. PTIMOT