Uttar Pradesh: Rape victim sets self afire in Bulandshahr, critical

Senior police superintendent SK Singh said the girl suffered over 60% burns and

A girl allegedly set herself afire in a village in Uttar Pradesh’s Bulandshahr district on Tuesday after an uncle of a man arrested for allegedly raping her tried to pressure her family to withdraw their complaint against the accused.

Representational Photo.

This was the second such incident in the district since Monday. A law student, who was allegedly gang-raped on October 16, died by suicide on Monday in Bulandshahr.

Senior police superintendent SK Singh said the girl suffered over 60% burns and was first taken to a local hospital from where doctors referred her to Delhi’s Safdarjung hospital where her condition was critical.

He said a rape case was registered on the girl’s complaint on August 15 and the accused was arrested the same day. Singh added the accused worked as a caretaker of an orchard in the girl’s village.

Singh said the uncle of the accused visited the girl’s family along with the orchard owner on Monday evening and is said to have put pressure on the girl’s parents.

“Legal action would be initiated against those who put pressure for a compromise and they would be arrested,” Singh said.