Woman who died after running into street on fire 'poured white spirit over her own head'
24.02.2023 - 09:53
/ manchestereveningnews.co.uk
A woman who died after running into the street on fire poured two bottles of flammable liquid over her own head shortly before she was set alight, an inquest has heard.
Nosheen Akhtar, 31, suffered horrific burns in an incident at her home in East Street, Bury, on the evening of July 23, 2021.
An inquest at Rochdale Coroner’s Court has heard that she told paramedics that 'her husband threw liquid on her' before 'setting her on fire'. Other witnesses have claimed that Ms Akhtar told them she had set herself alight.
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Giving evidence yesterday, Ms Akhtar's brother-in-law, Hasnain Mahmood, said he saw her pour a bottle of 'white spirit' over her head shortly before she was set alight. He claimed Ms Akhtar told him she 'wanted to kill herself'.
Earlier that evening, Hasnain Mahmood said he had been talking to Waqas Mahmood - his brother and Ms Akhtar's husband - and their nephew, Murtza Safeer, in the couple's living room when an 'angry' Ms Akhtar burst into the room. She began swearing at her husband and accusing him of contacting his ex-wife, he added.
Hasnain Mahmood said he and Mr Safeer left the house to allow the couple to ‘talk it through’. But while he was on the phone outside, he said Waqas Mahmood ran out and shouted that Ms Akhtar was ‘going to light the house on fire’.
Hasnain Mahmood said he rushed into the kitchen, where he found Ms Akhtar pouring a bottle of white spirit over her head. Another empty bottle of white spirit was on the floor, he told the inquest.
He added: “I asked her ‘what are you doing?’. She said ‘I want to kill myself. I want to light myself on fire.’”
Ms Akhtar did not have a lighter on her at the time