Tultuli Saha Bakshi, 27, daughter of a businessman, committed suicide by setting herself on fire at her SP Mukherjee Road residence on Thursday night, in the presence of invitees to her only son?s annaprashan (rice-eating ceremony).

The woman was rushed to SSKM Hospital, where doctors tried their best for over three hours to save her. She succumbed to her burns around 1 am on Friday. Senior officers at the Lalbazar police headquarters are surprised, for it took Tultuli?s in-laws almost 12 hours to inform the nearby Charu Market police station on Friday morning about the incident.

Police, however, have not yet found any evidence of foul play in the death. ?The victim?s father told the police that he had no complaint against his daughter?s husband and in-laws. Moreover, he confirmed that Tultuli and her husband were leading a happy conjugal life,? said Sanjay Mukherjee, deputy commissioner of police (headquarters).

According to police, Tultuli had married Rabi Saha Bakshi, accountant of a reputed private firm who also runs a decorator?s business, two-and-a-half years ago, and gave birth to Rahul eight months ago. ?The rice-eating ceremony was organised on Thursday and everything was proceeding smoothly. No one noticed anything wrong with Tultuli?s behaviour,? said an official of Charu Market police station.

?Relatives and close friends were invited to a formal dinner,? said deputy commissioner Mukherjee, adding: ?Tultuli?s father, Ashoke Saha, her uncle and brother, too, were invited. She set herself on fire around 9.15 pm, when they had just left the house and other invitees were having dinner.?

While the guests were busy eating, Tultuli went to the bathroom and sprinkled kerosene on herself. ?Seconds after setting herself on fire, she came out of the bathroom,? said another official of Charu Market police station.

Everybody was horrified. ?She was in flames and was screaming like mad. She was trying to walk, but could not. She slumped to the floor and started rolling from one corner to another,? one of the guests told police. ?After the flames were doused, Tultuli?s husband and other relatives rushed her to hospital,? said police. Though she was alive for over three hours, she was in no position to make a statement. Police said they searched the spot thoroughly, but no suicide note was found.