Washington: Was it murder or suicide? That was the question before a Texas court as the murder trial began for an Indian-American woman accused of killing her husband by putting him on fire in a bathtub.

In opening statements Tuesday before an Austin, Texas, court, prosecutors alleged that Shriya Biman Patel lured her husband into the bathtub for a massage, doused him with gasoline and then set him on fire before shutting him in the bathroom.

But defence lawyers contended that Bimal Patel had wanted to commit suicide and forced his subservient wife to help, the Austin American-Statesman reported.

Bimal Patel, 29, died at the burn centre of the San Antonio Military Medical Centre, nearly five months after the April 17, 2012, incident.