Darjeeling honeymoon horror: Newlywed bride suffers burns across over 60% of body

A honeymoon trip to Darjeeling’s Sittong reportedly took a tragic turn for a newlywed couple from West Bengal after a barbecue fire at their homestay left the bride with severe burn injuries.

The woman, identified in reports as Nikita Saha, was staying at Sittong Aura Homestay with her husband Souvik Das. The couple, from Uttar Dinajpur district, had married around two months ago and travelled to the hill region for their honeymoon.

Bride suffers burns across over 60 per cent of body

The incident reportedly took place on September 13 during a barbecue session at the homestay. Nikita reportedly suffered burns across more than 60 per cent of her body and is currently undergoing treatment at a private nursing home in Siliguri. Her condition has reportedly been described as critical.

Souvik also suffered a burn injury to his hand while trying to help his wife.

CCTV footage circulating on social media appears to show the couple sitting near the barbecue when a man approaches the grill and pours liquid from a container into the fire. The flames flare up moments later and spread towards Nikita, who appears to be engulfed before falling to the ground.

Souvik can then be seen rushing towards her, while another man reportedly removes his T-shirt and tries to put out the flames.

Family questions safety arrangements

The incident has also raised questions over safety arrangements and the response at the homestay. According to NDTV, Nikita’s family has alleged that adequate assistance was not provided immediately after the accident and questioned the arrangements made for her medical treatment.

The homestay authorities have not yet responded to the allegations.

An FIR has reportedly been registered against the homestay authorities over allegations of negligence. The incident is now being investigated.

Viral video sparks debate

Nikita was initially taken to a nearby hospital before being shifted to a private nursing home in Siliguri after her condition reportedly worsened.

The CCTV video was shared on X by user @gharkekalesh, prompting discussions about what may have caused the sudden flare-up.

One user commented, “That’s called a grease fire. Happens when you don’t clean the barbecue long enough . Of course this idiot added some thing flammable."

Another wrote, “It’s possible she was wearing too much perfume? Or maybe the fabric used in her top-wear was highly inflammable?"

A third user criticised the act of adding liquid to the fire, saying, “Idiot why will he put oil in live barbeque infornt of guests. Barbeque must be prepared in isolation before guests arrive. During cooking only air should be managed and oil on food not charcoal."