Police use Interpol to track burn victim's husband

Police are looking for anyone who saw this Subaru station wagon belonging to Ranjeeta Sharma, above, whose burned body was found at the above scene on Thursday night. Photos / Greg Bowker, supplied

Police have launched an international search to find the husband of a woman burned to death by the side of a Waikato road last week, after he flew to Fiji with their four-year-old son the day after her body was found.

The woman was named today as Ranjeeta Sharma, 28, of south Auckland, whose body was found burning by the side of Hangapipi Rd in the rural township of Rotowaro, near Huntly, on Thursday.

Police said she was alive when she was set alight, and that an accelerant was used to start the fire.

Speaking at a press conference in Manukau today, investigation head Detective Senior Sergeant Nigel Keall said the woman's husband was "a person of considerable significance" to the investigation and police were working with Interpol and overseas authorities to find him.

Police were not naming, or releasing any details about, Ms Sharma's husband.

"We are also working with overseas authorities to ensure the safety of the child.

"I would also like to reiterate that while we are seeking to speak to Ranjeeta's husband, we are keeping an open mind as to what, if any, involvement he has in this matter."

Her husband, a Fijian national, flew to Fiji with their son the day after Ms Sharma's body was found. Her car was found abandoned at Auckland Airport.

A spokeswoman for Fiji police told NZPA they were aware of the case but would not comment further.

Police here were forensically examining Ms Sharma's silver Subaru station wagon, registration FSD433, and appealed for people who may have seen it or Ms Sharma in the Manukau or Huntly-Rotowaro areas on January 20 or 21 to contact them.

"A key focus of the inquiry now is establishing Ranjeeta's movements and how she came to be where her body was found.

"Given the remoteness of the scene where Ranjeeta was killed, it's likely a vehicle was involved. Exactly which vehicle we don't know at this stage, so were doing tests to either confirm it was Ranjeeta's vehicle or eliminate it."

Mr Keall said a large proportion of the investigation team was brought to south Auckland because that was where she lived and worked.

Several search warrants were being executed in the area, he said.

Ms Sharma had at least one close relative here but the majority of her family was in Fiji, where she was originally from.

"Ranjeeta was burned to death beside a public road so obviously her family are in shock, it's been particularly difficult for them," Mr Keall said.

Auckland Indian Society president Harshad Patel said the killing had been a great shock for many in New Zealand's Indian community.

Speculation in the media that it was an "honour killing" was premature and it seemed unlikely to be the case, he said.

"In civilised societies you don't see this sort of thing, especially in New Zealand.

"I would be totally surprised if this was an honour killing."

Rotowaro residents were also stunned at the brutality of the homicide.

Resident Gail Williams said there had been a lot of talk in the township about what had happened and people were horrified at the way Ms Sharma had died.

"We couldn't understand why someone would do that to another person, people are very shocked.

"It's such a shame, especially seeing she's got a child."

- NZPA