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Woman forced to drink toilet cleaner in Bareilly, battling for life
The victim crawled to the roadside, where some passers-by spotted her and informed the police. Father and brother-in-law arrested for attempting to murder her over ‘social humiliation’, say cops
LUCKNOW A 25-year-old married woman was allegedly forced to drink toilet cleaner (that contained a diluted form of acid) and throttled by her father and brother-in-law before being left in the bushes in Bareilly district on Monday night. The two, who committed the crime due to “social humiliation” caused by the woman’s illicit relationship with another man, were arrested, police said on Wednesday.
The accused also removed her clothes and poured toilet cleaner on her face and body so that her identity could not be ascertained. The woman, however, survived and crawled to the roadside, where some passers-by spotted her on Tuesday morning and informed the police. She was rushed to a hospital where she was battling for life.
SSP (Bareilly) Prabhakar Chowdhary said the woman, Munni Devi, a resident of Dhadha village under Shahi police station limits of Bareilly district, was found lying in an injured state under Fatehganj West police station limits with no clothes on her body on Tuesday morning.
He said the woman was rushed to the medical college in Bhojpura where she was undergoing treatment. Her father, Tota Ram, and her elder sister’s husband, Dinesh, were arrested for making her forcibly drink acid and throttling her.
The woman was unable to speak due to her burn injuries and confirmed her identity by writing her name on paper, after which the entire story behind the incident came to fore, said the officer.
Circle officer (Meerganj) informed media persons that Munni Devi was in a relationship with one Ajay Kumar for many years, but her family members did not approve of it. Her father said she had eloped with Ajay Kumar twice in the past but was brought back home, added the CO.
He said the woman’s family forcibly got the woman married to one Devendra of Budaun on April 22 and she was shifted from Bareilly. But she remained in touch with Ajay Kumar. The woman’s husband informed her kin about all this on the very next day of marriage. The woman’s father stated she was even found talking to Ajay Kumar on phone when they reached there and was adamant on living with her lover despite getting married to another person, said the CO.
The CO said the woman’s father and brother-in-law took her along when Devendra expressed desire not to live with her. The duo allegedly planned to eliminate her due to “social humiliation” caused by her act. “On Monday, the duo, along with woman, left Devendra’s house and tried to eliminate her by forcing her to drink acid. The woman fell unconscious following which they left her behind in the bushes, believing her to be dead,” he added.
