A group of six rapists, including her lover, set the 20-year-old victim of their sexual assault on fire after the woman threatened to complain to the police. According to the police, the girl from the Desarmau village of Etawah district in UP, was in a relationship with one Farman, also of the same village. She had on Thursday gone to his house to ask him to marry her when the incident took place.
According to the FIR lodged by the victim's brother, Farman and his five associates raped the girl and when she threatened to disclose the matter, she was set ablaze by the accused. The girl who was rushed to the district hospital was referred to the Safai hospital where she is said to be critical, police said. The villagers have, however, alleged that the girl herself sprinkled kerosene and tried to set afire to pressurize Farman, who was not interested in marrying her. The girl accidentally caught fire when the youth tried to snatch the matchstick. The accused Farman and his family members have fled the village and efforts are on to nab them, police said.
Meanwhile, ADG law and order Arun Kumar told reporters in Lucknow that a magisterial inquiry has been ordered into the incident. The girl has suffered 80 per cent burns, he said adding that investigations are on in the case in which there appears to be some contradictions in the FIR, and the statement taken from people concerned.
According to reports, prima facie the issue was related to the marriage of the girl and the accused for which the villagers had mediated and a panchayat was also held asking the family to agree to the marriage. The matter concerned bearing the expenses of the wedding, he said, adding the FIR also names two females along with four males for putting the girl on fire.
