UP woman set afire by family of molestation accused, 1 detained

Angry over the registration of the case against their son, the accused’s parents allegedly poured kerosene over the woman and set her afire

30-year-old woman has sustained 90% burn injuries after she was set on fire allegedly by the family members of a man she accused of molestation, in Uttar Pradesh’s Mahoba district, police said on Sunday. One person has been detained in connection with the case, an official added.

Sudha Singh, the woman lodged an FIR of molestation against her neighbour on Saturday. (HT Archive)

According to the superintendent of police (Mahoba), Sudha Singh, the woman lodged an FIR of molestation against her neighbour on Saturday. “On Saturday, she (the victim) had registered a case against her neighbour for beating and molesting her. The accused was taken into custody.”

Angry over the registration of the case against their son, the accused’s parents allegedly poured kerosene over the woman and set her afire, Singh added. “I spoke to the woman, she has informed us that the accused’s parents poured kerosene over her and set her afire after finding her alone in a field, where she went to relieve herself on Sunday morning.”

Station House Officer of Kulpahad police station, Mahendra Pratap Singh, too, said that the woman has been taken to a medical college in the adjoining Jhansi district. An FIR has been filed in connection with the case and police have taken the accused’s mother into custody for questioning, while efforts are on to arrest his father, who is currently absconding, he added.

(With PTI inputs)