Vijayawada, Oct 14 (IANS): The city police are investigating the deaths of a man and a woman who died of burn injuries.

"We got information that two people got trapped in fire. By the time we reached the spot, the girl was already dead and the man was alive with around 70-80 per cent burns," Vijayawada West Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Vikrant Patil told IANS.

The police identified the girl as Chinnari and the man as Nagabushanam, both aged between 25 and 30 years.

By the time the police could shift Nagabushanam to the hospital, he also succumbed to burn injuries. However, the police managed to take his statement through a judicial magistrate by then.

"Nagabushanam said they committed suicide. That was the statement given by him. We are investigating the matter. The girl's father has alleged that Nagabushanam had set her on fire," said Patil.

The police have registered a case under IPC Section 302, which deals with murder, even as the investigation continues.

According to Patil, there was no CCTV footage nor an eye witness account to decipher as to what exactly happened.

The incident occurred near the staircase of a hostel in Hanumanpet where Chinnari lived.

Patil also informed that more petrol was found on Chinnari's body than Nagabushanam's.

Chinnari was working as a nurse in a nearby Covid Care Centre. She hailed from a village in Krishna district, around 50 km from the city.

"Hopefully by today or tomorrow we should get hold of some person who has seen what actually happened," Patil said.