The accused said that he loved the woman but she never reciprocated his advances.
The 22-year-old man was arrested on Tuesday from Dhankot village in Gurugram for allegedly setting a woman on fire, two days before her marriage, police said.
According to the police, the accused identified as Jaipal alias Billu, resident of Mehchana village, has confessed to the crime. He will be produced in a city court on Wednesday.
On Monday, Billu has set the 24-year-old woman on fire at her home in Farrukhnagar area here. The victim, with over 50 per cent burn injuries, is being treated in Delhi's AIIMS, said police.
The accused said that he loved the woman but she never reciprocated his advances and he didn't want her to get married somewhere else.
“On May 7, he procured petrol in a bottle and on the morning of May 9, he sprinkled petrol on her and set her on fire while she was sleeping. He took the girl's mobile phone and fled from the spot. We have recovered the mobile of victim and probe is on”, said Preet Pal Singh Sangwan, ACP, crime.
The victim's father moved to police claiming the accused broke into their house and set his daughter on fire.
"My daughter Seema is the eldest of three siblings. She was to be married on May 11. A neighbour, Jaipal alias Billu, would harass her often, especially whenever she went on the roof and she had told me also about it,” he said in his complaint.
“I had gone out for work today early morning. I received a call that Billu had barged inside the house and set her on fire pouring petrol over her,” said victim's father Ashok who works as daily a wage labourer.
Following the complaint, an FIR was registered under sections 326-A (voluntarily causing grievous hurt by acid etc) and 307 (murder attempt) of the IPC at Farrukhnagar Police Station.
The matric pass accused is unemployed.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)