A homemaker in a tea estate under Naxalbari block of Siliguri subdivision allegedly set her husband and his co-worker on fire on Wednesday evening, suspecting them of having an affair.

Rupa Das, wife of Sudipta Das, the head clerk of Kiranchandra tea estate located some 20km from here, accosted Sujata Chik Baraik when the latter was on her way to office. While Rupa is in her late 30s, Sudipta is in his mid-40s and Sujata in her mid-30s.

Rupa allegedly doused Sujata with petrol and set her on fire with a lighter.

As Sujata started screaming, bystanders rushed to help her. Rupa managed to flee from the spot and reached her residential quarters where she allegedly locked her husband in a room and set him on fire.

Tea workers and others took both the victims to the North Bengal Medical College and Hospital from where they were shifted to a private nursing home. Sujata is reportedly critical.

Sujata’s family filed a complaint with Naxalbari police against Rupa. She was arrested on Thursday. “Preliminary probe reveals Rupa Das used to suspect her husband and his co-worker of an affair,” said a police officer.

Colleagues of both Sudipta and Sujata, however, said Rupa’s suspicions were unfounded. “The woman resorted to such an act out of a baseless suspicion that left two families shattered,” said an employee of the garden.

Fake shampoo

A Siliguri Metropolitan Police team raided a hotel in Siliguri Junction area on Wednesday night to bust a fake shampoo-making racket.

Eleven people, all residents of Uttar Pradesh and Delhi, have been arrested. Police said the group used to collect empty shampoo bottles and refill them with fake shampoo.