Phagwara, Nov 5: A wave of grief has swept through Phagwara after Dr Shivani, a physician born in the town, lost her life in a house fire at her residence in England. The incident has prompted an official investigation by UK authorities while igniting a sharp disagreement between the two families. The victim’s parents allege domestic abuse and foul play, whereas her in-laws maintain the fire resulted from an accidental electrical fault.
Emergency services were alerted late at night after neighbors noticed thick smoke pouring from the property. Firefighters rescued both occupants from the house, but Dr Shivani was pronounced dead at the scene due to smoke inhalation and severe burns. Her husband, Dilawar Kataria, survived with life-threatening injuries and remains in critical condition on ventilator support at Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham.
In Phagwara, the deceased’s father, Dr K.K. Verma, rejected claims that the blaze was merely an accident. He asserted that his daughter, who married in 2023, had faced continuous mental harassment and physical distress over escalating demands since moving to the UK. Supported by the local medical fraternity, the family has appealed to the Ministry of External Affairs and the UK High Commission to investigate whether the fire was intentionally set.
Conversely, the family of Dilawar Kataria, residing in nearby Khatti village, maintained that the couple shared a harmonious relationship. They refuted all allegations of harassment and suggested the fire stemmed from a short circuit or a malfunctioning room heater during cold weather. UK police and forensic teams continue to examine the scene’s electrical wiring and burn patterns, while awaiting Kataria’s medical recovery to record his statement. Repatriation of Dr Shivani’s mortal remains remains delayed pending forensic post-mortem results and legal clearances.
