Nikita Saha remained critically ill as police examined the handling of flammable liquid, emergency response and safety practices at the homestay.
DARJEELING, India — Four people have been arrested after a 23-year-old newlywed suffered severe burns when flames spread from a barbecue at a homestay in West Bengal’s Sittong area, as police investigate the handling of the fire and alleged safety lapses at the property.
Nikita Saha was injured Sept. 13 while staying in Sittong with her husband, Souvik Das, during their honeymoon. Local reports said burns covered about 60% of her body, and she was taken to Siliguri, where the latest established reports described her condition as critical. Das suffered burns to his hand while trying to help his wife and was later discharged after treatment. Police have not announced a final cause of the fire or a final determination of responsibility.
Darjeeling district police arrested four people after Das filed a complaint with Kurseong police. The Telegraph identified those arrested as property owners Pawan Kumar Agarwal and his son, Nehal Airan; manager Dipen Lama; and Nasiruddin, whose role in tending the barbecue is being examined. They were produced before a court in Kurseong and remanded to four days in police custody. Police have said the roles of those involved remain under investigation, and the arrests do not establish guilt.
Saha and Das are residents of the Chopra area of North Dinajpur district and had married recently before making the trip to the hills. Reports differ on whether the marriage had taken place about one or two months earlier. The couple checked into the Sittong property Sept. 13 and asked whether a barbecue could be arranged. Das told The Indian Express that the fire flared at about 8:30 p.m. after a person tending the grill added liquid to it.
Video footage reported by several news organizations shows the couple sitting close to the barbecue as a man approaches the fire with a container. After liquid is poured, the flames suddenly intensify toward Saha. Das is seen rushing to help her, while another person also attempts to put out the flames. Police are examining the circumstances surrounding the fire, including the conduct of those tending the barbecue and the safety measures available at the property.
Published accounts have differed over what liquid was used. The Telegraph’s later reporting described it as lighter fluid, while an earlier report citing police referred to kerosene. The Times of India quoted a person identified as a homestay manager as saying a small amount of thinner had been used to ignite the barbecue, and The Indian Express described the substance only as a fluid. Authorities had not publicly announced a definitive identification of the liquid in the latest reliable reports reviewed.
Das has also accused the homestay of failing to provide an adequate emergency response after his wife was burned. He told The Indian Express that there was no primary-treatment facility available and that the couple had to wait for transportation before traveling to Siliguri. Other local reporting cited family members who said Saha remained at the property for a significant period before being taken for treatment. Those claims form part of the broader allegations surrounding the response to the fire.
A homestay manager quoted by The Times of India disputed the allegation that the property failed to assist the couple. He said staff wanted Saha taken to Siliguri and described an initial response lasting about 20 minutes before the trip from the hill area. The conflicting accounts about the timing and adequacy of the emergency response have not been independently resolved. Police have continued investigating what happened both before and after the flare-up.
There is also uncertainty about Nasiruddin’s formal relationship with the property. Some reports described him as a worker or staff member. The Telegraph later cited a source who said he was not formally employed by the homestay and instead occasionally visited an acquaintance who worked there. Police nevertheless arrested him along with the owners and manager as investigators examined who was responsible for tending the barbecue and supervising activities involving open flame.
The incident has renewed attention on fire precautions at homestays and other rural tourism properties in the region. The Himalayan Hospitality & Tourism Development Network, an organization representing tourism stakeholders, urged operators to use a high degree of caution when offering barbecues, bonfires and similar activities. It called for proper supervision, equipment handling, safety procedures and emergency preparedness when guests are around open flames.
Police have not publicly concluded that the fire was deliberately set. Investigators are examining video footage, statements from those involved, the handling of the barbecue and allegations concerning safety and emergency assistance. Saha remained hospitalized in Siliguri in critical condition in the latest established local reporting, while the four arrested people remained subject to the court process. No final investigative finding on the cause of the fire or criminal responsibility had been announced.
Author note: Last updated September 21, 2026.