Rajasthan woman set afire after rape, dies during treatment
The incident happened in Rajasthan’s Barmer district and police said they have arrested the accused who had been absconding
A 30-year-old woman, who was allegedly raped and set afire by a man in Rajasthan’s Barmer district on Thursday, died during treatment late on Friday night at a government hospital in Jodhpur, police said adding that they have arrested the accused who had been absconding.

Barmer additional superintendent of police (ASP) Nitesh Arya has confirmed the development. Police said that Section 302 (punishment for murder) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) has also been added in the first information report (FIR). They added that the body will be will be handed over to the family members after getting the autopsy done.
According to the FIR lodged by the woman’s husband, his wife was alone at home on Thursday as he had gone out for job and their children were in school, when the accused, identified as Shakur Khan, broke into the house and raped her. Hearing the cries of his wife, their neighbour reached at the spot to rescue her but the accused while pushing the neighbour away, poured some acid-like chemical on his wife, set her on fire and escaped from the scene.
It is also alleged that family members of the victim approached police around 1.30am on Thursday but police initially avoided filing an FIR. They said the FIR was lodged only after the case became critical. However, police said that they got informed about the incident around 3.30am and the FIR was lodged in the wee hours of Friday.
The woman, who has two children, suffered 40-50% burn injuries in the assault. She was first admitted to a government hospital in Balotra and was later referred to a higher medical institution in Jodhpur, where she died during treatment.
Police said the accused Shakur Khan belonged to the same village as the woman. He was nabbed by police on Friday late night.
Police have registered a case under IPC sections 302 (punishment for murder) 376 (punishment for rape ), 326 (voluntarily causing grievous hurt by dangerous weapons or means), 450 (house trespass in order to commit offence punishable with imprisonment for life) and other sections of the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, officials familiar with the matter said.
Meanwhile, local Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) member of Parliament (MP) and Union minister of agriculture and farmers welfare, Kailash Choudhary, condemned the incident. “The incident of raping a Dalit married woman in Balotra and burning her with acid is a black spot on Rajasthan along with the entire region and evidence of poor law and order situation in the state,” he said.
“Today, this Jungle Raj, which is prevailing under the misrule of the state, has become a curse for every common man of the state and (chief minister Ashok) Gehlot ji, sitting on the post of home minister, has turned a blind eye to the law and order of the state,” he alleged.
Nagaur MP and Rashtriya Loktantrik Party (RLP) leader Hanuman Beniwal said, “The incident of raping a SC woman in Barmer’s Pachpadra police station area and burning her with inflammable substance is extremely shameful, such acts are indicating that there is no fear of law among the criminals.” He demanded the strictest legal action against the accused.
