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‘Fast track court for stalker who set ablaze woman’: Uddhav Thackeray
The 24-year-old woman who was set ablaze by a youth in Maharashtra’s Wardha district last week, succumbed to her injuries after a week-long battle at a hospital in Nagpur.
Maharashtra Chief minister Uddhav Thackeray on Monday said that the stalker who set ablaze a young woman at Hinganghat in Wardha district last week leading to her death this morning, would be tried in a fast-track court and called for strict punishment.
“The investigating agencies in this case have been directed to ensure that the accused is punished in the strictest possible manner,” he said.
Thackeray said his government will study the Disha Act, enacted recently by the Andhra Pradesh government, and try to make laws stricter to prevent such incidents in future, PTI reported.
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The Disha Act mandates completion of investigation into cases of sexual offences within seven working days from the time of record and trial within 14 working days from the date of filing the charge sheet.
Home minister Anil Deshmukh spoke to the family members of the victim and announced all support for them.
“Despite our best efforts, we could not save the woman. I have spoken to her parents and have told them that the government will stand by them with all its strength. We have also offered a government job to her brother,” he said.
Deshmukh said that special public prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam is in touch with the local police officers to ensure that the trial starts at the earliest.
Deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar said that the government will be “more sensitive in future” to ensure that such incidents do not happen. “It is shameful for the progressive state like Maharashtra that we could not avert such cases,” he said.
The 24-year-old woman, a college teacher, who was set ablaze by a youth in Maharashtra’s Wardha district last week, succumbed to her injuries after a week-long battle at a hospital in Nagpur.
Following her death, locals held protest demanding punishment against the accused, Vicky Nagrale (27), who was arrested by the police from Takalghat near Nagpur on the day of the incident on February 3.
He was charged under Indian Penal Code (IPC) Sections 307 (attempt to murder) and 326 (voluntarily causing grievous hurt by dangerous weapons or means).
Police said Nagrale was a married man and has a seven-month-old son. He worked at a firm in Balharshah and used to stalk the woman. The victim was his friend, but she severed ties with him two years ago, police said.
