Student sets teacher on fire in MP after complaint over lewd remark, arrested

An 18-year-old former student set a 26-year-old guest teacher on fire in Narsinghpur district, Madhya Pradesh, on Monday afternoon. The accused, identified as Suryansh Kochar, attacked the teacher at her residence in the Kotwali police station area around 3:30 pm. Police said he poured petrol on her and set her ablaze before fleeing.

The victim sustained 10–15 percent burn injuries and was taken to the district hospital. Doctors treating her confirmed the burns are serious but not life-threatening. She remains under medical care. The attack has created shock in the district, and education officials described the incident as deeply disturbing.

Police officials stated that Kochar had developed a one-sided attachment towards the teacher over the past two years. On August 15, during Independence Day celebrations at Excellence School (Utkrisht Vidyalaya), where the victim was posted as a guest teacher, she had lodged a complaint after he made an inappropriate remark about her saree.

According to Sub-Divisional Police Officer Manoj Gupta, the complaint angered the accused and led him to plan the assault. Gupta said, “This is a case of one-sided affection and personal vendetta. The teacher wore a saree for the school’s August 15 program, which the accused commented on inappropriately. She lodged a complaint, which angered him. He then planned and executed this attack.”

The accused was arrested within hours from village Kalyanpur under Dongargaon police station limits. Deputy Superintendent of Police Sandeep Bhuria confirmed his arrest and said a case under relevant IPC sections has been registered. School Principal G.S. Patel said the victim had joined as a lab technician and guest teacher just one-and-a-half months ago. Further investigation into the matter is underway.