A 25-year-old homemaker was doused with kerosene and set on fire by her in-laws outside their DL Khan Road house on Wednesday night, police said.

Shakuntala Singh, who suffered 95 per cent burns, died at SSKM Hospital on Thursday morning.

Shivprasad and Ganesh, the woman’s father-in-law and brother-in-law, have been arrested. “In her dying statement, Shakuntala had said the two used to torture her as she could not conceive,” said an officer of Hastings police station.

“The woman’s husband, Bikram, is an alcoholic. He was a mute witness to his wife’s torture by his father and 18-year-old brother,” the officer added.

Shakuntala got married to Bikram, a small-time trader, three years ago. Kashinath Paswan, Shakuntala’s eldest brother, alleged that the torture started a year after her marriage.

“Shivprasad demanded dowry but we refused. Enraged at our refusal, he started torturing my sister,” said Paswan. “The assault never stopped. A few months later, they got another excuse to beat her up — her failure to conceived.”

Paswan has lodged an FIR with Hastings police station against Shakuntala’s in-laws.

The police said Shakuntala’s husband was not at home she was set on fire. Neighbours spotted her in flames and rushed her to SSKM Hospital.

“Her face was charred. We are interrogating the duo to find out why they wanted to kill her,” the officer said.