Janakpurdham, June 26

A single elderly woman was found dead at Gaushala Municipality in Mahottari today.

Police Inspector Shambhu Pokhrel of Area Police Office, Gaushala, said the body of Mansariya Devi, 65, of the municipality was found lying in her bed, with acid burns on the face and other parts of the body.

Police suspect that an unidentified gang poured acid over her body, killing her, while she was asleep. The police officer said the incident occurred after the woman, who had been living alone after her husband’s death some years ago, went to bed after talking with her neighbours at around 9:00pm yesterday. When she did not wake up till late in the morning today, the neighbours reached her house, only to find her lying dead on her bed with her face and her body fatally burned due to acid, the police officer quoted locals as saying. He said there was no other house within 50 metres of her house.

The deceased’s son and daughter-in-law have been living separately since 15 days. According to police, the reason behind the elderly’s death is unclear. Investigation into the incident is on, police said.