In an attempt to kill his wife Bimala Darai Lamsal, 25, and two-year-old son Jenish Lamsal, 28-year-old Ganesh Lamsal of Dharapani, Siddhalekh Rural Municipality-1, Dhading set them ablaze on Monday.

Ganesh spilled oil around his wife and children when they were asleep in their house at midnight. After setting them ablaze, he ran away locking the door of the room from outside. In the wee hours, Bimala noticed the fire, jumped out the window and screamed out for help from her neighbors. Both of them were rescued and taken to the district hospital by their neighbors.

Both the mother and the son are currently receiving treatment at Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital after doctors at the district hospital referred them to Kathmandu. According to Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Rupak Khadka of the District Police Office, Bimala has sustained head and hand burn injuries while his son has burn injuries on his hands and other body parts.

Bimala stated that his husband used to physically and psychologically abuse her saying that she belonged to a so-called lower caste.

After she could not tolerate the daily abuses, she filed a case against her husband for domestic abuse. Although her husband agreed to stop his abuses, Bimala stated that she was compelled to leave her house on the same evening she filed the case against him. “We were staying at one of our neighbor's house until my husband came to take us back home on Monday,” said Bimala.

Bimala's family members have filed a case against her husband on the charge of attempted murder. The police have said that they have arrested Ganesh and are interrogating him regarding the incident.