Pune: 76-Year-Old Woman Found Dead with Burn Injuries in Kothrud Flat, Cause Under Investigation
Kothrud, 1st April 2025: A 76-year-old woman was discovered dead with severe burn injuries inside her first-floor apartment at Guru Ganeshnagar Society in Kothrud early Monday morning. The incident has left both the police and fire officials puzzled, as there were no clear signs of a fire outbreak in the flat.
The deceased, identified as Komal Sampat Ghule, lived alone in her apartment in Building D-2 of the housing complex. Her son resides in Nagpur, while her daughter is married and lives elsewhere in Pune. Ghule’s husband had passed away a few years ago.
According to Senior Inspector Sandeep Deshmane of Kothrud police, the authorities were alerted around 8 a.m. after a resident noticed smoke coming from the flat. “When we arrived, we found the main door open, but there was no significant fire damage inside. The furniture and household items were intact, and there was no evidence of a short circuit or gas leak,” Deshmane said.
Investigators are considering multiple possibilities, including whether the fire was accidental or a case of suicide. “We are examining if the fire may have started while she was holding a pooja lamp, but it is too early to draw any conclusions,” Deshmane added.
Fire brigade officials also confirmed that the flames had already died down when they arrived. Fire Station Officer Prakash Gore stated, “The fire was out by the time we got there, and the police were already at the scene conducting their inquiry.”
Residents of the society, a large housing complex with multiple buildings, said they did not hear any unusual noises from Ghule’s apartment. One neighbor shared, “She was friendly with other residents, but we weren’t very familiar with her family background. She lived alone and mostly kept to herself.”
Authorities have conducted a panchanama (on-site report) and are awaiting further forensic analysis to determine the exact cause of the fire and the circumstances surrounding Ghule’s death.
