An 83-year-old woman died apparently after inhaling carbon monoxide after her clothes caught fire from a diya she had lit while offering her prayers at her New Alipore home on Friday morning, police said.

Her son was in another room when the fire broke out.

Gouri Dasgupta, a resident of Block P in New Alipore, was taken to SSKM Hospital, where she was declared dead.

Police said the incident happened around 5.35am. Dutta had been living with her son since he returned home from abroad because of the pandemic, an officer said.

“She was wearing a nightgown that got burnt. The apparent cause of death is inhalation of carbon monoxide,” an officer said.

“We are investigating the circumstances leading to the death. Till now we have not found anything that suggests foul play,” said an officer