BATU PAHAT: The police have reclassified case involving a 31-year-old woman who was killed in a fire at Kampung Baru Sri Gading as murder.
Batu Pahat OCPD Asst Comm Shahrulanuar Mushaddat Abdullah Sani said the case was previously investigated under Section 307 of the Penal Code for attempted murder and Section 436 of the same Act for mischief by fire.
"Early investigations revealed the incident happened at about 9pm on March 8 when the victim had a verbal argument with a 29-year-old man.
"The fight escalated and the man doused the house in petrol to set the house the victim was in on fire," he said in a statement on Tuesday (March 11).
He said the victim, a mother of three, suffered severe burns covering about 74% of her body.
"The suspect suffered burns on 13.5% of his body. They were both sent to Sultanah Nora Ismail Hospital.
"At 9.54pm on March 9, the victim succumbed to her injuries and died.
"Following her death, the case has been reclassified under Section 302 of the Penal Code for murder," he said.
ACP Shahrulanuar said the police have arrested the suspect who has been remanded until March 15.
