Bihar: SHO suspended after woman set afire succumbs to burns

The woman, who suffered 75% burns, was rushed to a private hospital from where she was referred to Patna Medical College and Hospital. Protests erupted in the area when the woman died late on Monday evening

A station house officer (SHO) was on Tuesday suspended in Bihar’s Vaishali district for negligence after a 20-year-old woman, who was allegedly set ablaze by three men, succumbed to her injuries.

Representational Image.

The accused, identified as Satish Kumar, Vijay Kumar and Chandan Kumar, allegedly set the woman afire in Rasalpur-Habib village under Chandpur police out post when she resisted their sexual assault on October 30. Vijay and Satish are father and son while Chandan is the latter’s cousin.

The woman, who suffered 75% burns, was rushed to a private hospital from where she was referred to Patna Medical College and Hospital. Protests erupted in the area when the woman died late on Monday evening.

The family of the deceased complained that SHO Vishnudeo Dubey did not take immediate action on the woman’s complaint. On investigation, Vaishali SP Maneesh learnt that the Town police station had recorded the woman’s statement at the private hospital on October 30 before referring the case to the Chandpur police outpost. However, SHO Dubey lodged an FIR against the three named accused only on November 2.

In her complaint, the woman had alleged that one of the accused, Satish, had regularly been harassing her. “Satish threatened to kill me if I didn’t go with him,” she had said.

All the accused are on the run and the SP told HT that raids were on to nab them.

Meanwhile, two more cases of sexual assault and murder have been reported in the past 24 hours. Reports from Motihari’s Amwan village say Pipra police recovered body parts of a six-year-old after the arrest of the accused. Chakia SDPO Sanjay Kumar said the minor was lured with crackers and taken to Lakhna river by the accused. When he tried to assault her, the girl raised an alarm. Panicking, the accused strangulated her and cut the body up.

In Rohtas, an 8-year-old was killed after rape in Gangauli village under Dalmianagar police station area. Locals caught the accused, identified as Balram Singh, and beat him up before handing him over to the police.

In Nawada, one Kailash Choudhary had his throat slit for allegedly attempting to rape a woman in the Kadirganj police station area. Police said the accused was caught by the woman’s husband who slit his throat. The couple then surrendered at the police station.