An elderly Dalit woman was burnt alive allegedly by three members of an upper caste community over a dispute on fetching water from a village handpump.
Prembai, 55, suffered 80 per cent burns as she was set ablaze on Tuesday, Abhishek Ranjan, sub-divisional police officer, said on
Friday.
The incident took place at Harda's Kantada village where Prembai was stopped from using the village handpump by three upper caste persons, Ranjan said.
A quarrel erupted as she refused to budge, following which Hiralal, Dinesh and Rajendra allegedly set her on fire, he said adding Prembai succumbed to burn injuries on Wednesday.
The incident came to light on Thursday when Kantada villagers, along with the her body, held demonstrations in front of the Harda Collectorate demanding action against the accused.
A complaint in this connection has been registered by Hukumchand, the deceased's husband, Ranjan said adding only after verifying the charges, a case of murder will be registered against the accused.