In a horrific act of violence that has left the Narsinghpur district reeling, an 18-year-old former student allegedly set a 26-year-old guest teacher ablaze at her home on Monday. The accused, identified as Suryansh Kochar, reportedly held a personal grudge against the teacher, which investigators believe may have stemmed from a past disciplinary complaint she made against him.

The incident occurred around 3:30 pm, when Kochar visited the teacher’s residence carrying a bottle of petrol. Without any apparent confrontation, he doused her in the flammable liquid and set her on fire before fleeing. The victim, who sustained serious injuries, was initially admitted to the district hospital but has since been referred to Jabalpur Medical College for specialised treatment. Her condition is stable, and she is expected to recover.

Police officials revealed that the suspect had previously been expelled from the Excellence School (Utkrisht Vidyalaya) in Narsinghpur and had been studying elsewhere since. He is believed to have maintained an unhealthy fixation on the teacher, which escalated into violence following an Independence Day incident where he reportedly made inappropriate remarks.

“This is a case of one-sided affection and personal vendetta,” said Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDOP) Manoj Gupta. “The teacher wore a saree for the school’s August 15th program, which the accused commented on inappropriately. She lodged a complaint, which angered him. He then planned and executed this attack. A case under Section 124A and other relevant IPC sections has been registered. Further action will follow after recording the victim’s full statement.”

According to Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Sandeep Bhuria, the accused was apprehended within hours of the crime from Kalyanpur village in the Dongargaon police station jurisdiction. Kochar, who had passed Class 10 just a year earlier, is now in custody. Bhuria noted, “The incident is related to a love affair and investigation is being done on that basis. Further action will be taken on the basis of their statements.”

Bhuria also confirmed that the victim had only recently joined the school as both a lab technician and guest faculty member. “The victim is a 26-year-old guest teacher at the Excellence School. The accused is 18 years and one month old and a class 12 student of the same institution. He went to the victim’s house with petrol late on Monday afternoon, doused her with it, and set her ablaze. She has sustained 25% burns and is stable,” he told reporters.

Principal Says ‘Incident Has Shocked Everyone’

Additional insights from school authorities indicate the teacher had joined just one and a half months prior. “This incident has shocked everyone,” said Principal G.S. Patel, expressing disbelief over the act.

While investigations are ongoing, police are exploring all angles, including past complaints and the accused’s psychological state. The swift arrest has brought some relief to the shaken community, though questions remain about how the situation escalated to such an extent.