A 42-year-old adivasi woman was burnt to death late on Thursday night at Varthanapalli colony of Kadeli panchayat in Paderu mandal in Visakhapatnam agency. The victim has been identified as Pangi Chilakamma.
The incident occurred when the flames from the bonfire that she lit in front of her house to keep warm from the biting cold, spread to the nearby haystacks that were kept around the house and engulfed her.
Despite the neighbours and her family members trying it save her, she was charred beyond recognition, Paderu police said. It appears to be a freak accident, but a case has been registered and investigation is on.