Phagwara, Nov 5: Authorities in the United Kingdom have opened a formal inquiry into the death of Dr Shivani, a Phagwara-native doctor who died during a nocturnal house fire at her home in England. While local police and specialized forensic units examine the burnt structure, conflicting claims have emerged from the family members of the couple regarding the circumstances surrounding the tragedy.
Rescuers extracted the couple after neighbors raised an alarm over dense smoke. Despite rapid medical intervention, Dr Shivani succumbed to severe burn injuries and smoke inhalation. Her husband, Dilawar Kataria, was rushed to Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham, where he remains heavily sedated and comatose in an intensive care unit.
Addressing reporters in Punjab, the victim’s father, Dr K.K. Verma, maintained that domestic strife played a central role in the tragic event. He declared that his daughter had suffered ongoing harassment and coercion from her husband and his relatives following their relocation to the UK. The bereaved family has formally requested diplomatic intervention to ensure foreign investigators evaluate all possibilities, including arson.
Relatives of Dilawar Kataria strongly contested these statements, maintaining that the tragedy was purely accidental. They affirmed that no marital discord existed and pointed to potential extension wire faults or heating appliance failures during harsh winter conditions. UK law enforcement authorities confirmed that the investigation stays open without any formal charges filed so far, while formal Coroner’s inquest procedures remain underway.
