Kapilvastu, May 3:

A 25-year-old woman and her 11-month-old son were burnt to death when fire engulfed a settlement in Ward No 1 of Hardauna village development committee in southwestern part of Kapilvastu district last night.

Superintendent of police at the kapilvastu District Police Office Milan Basnet said Gujarati Raidas and her son died in the fire that engulfed 20 houses, including four concrete buildings. The fire broke out from her house.

Police were yet to file the first investigation report of the incident, as the bodies were charred beyond recognition, according to Basnet.

Other members of the 10-member Raidas family and a few villagers sustained minor injuries in the incident.

Villagers today collected donations for the final rites of Gujarati and her son who belonged to a poor Dalit family.

Clothes, food grains and other utensils of 16 households were also burnt to ashes.

Police inspector Hari Bahadur Badhuwal estimated the damage of property at around Rs 5 lakhs, adding that said the actual damage was however yet to be assessed.