Bulandshahr (Uttar Pradesh): A 15-year-old Dalit girl, who was allegedly set on fire in Bulandshahr, has died in Delhi’s RML Hospital, the police said Wednesday. The incident happened Tuesday and the girl succumbed in the night.
The girl was earlier allegedly raped by a local resident and the family was being pressured to withdraw her complaint. The FIR filed by the family says seven people entered their home and set her ablaze using petrol.
In a video of the victim in a hospital, she can be heard purportedly saying, “There was an ongoing case of molestation by the same people who came today.”
Bulandshahr Senior Superintendent of Police Santosh Kumar Singh said, “In August, a girl was raped by a man. He was arrested. The accused is currently in jail. On Tuesday, we received information that the same girl has been set on fire under suspicious circumstances. Till 11 p.m. on Tuesday, it appeared she had attempted suicide. But as per the family’s complaint, seven people tried to immolate her.”
He said seven people have been booked and three have been arrested.
According to the victim’s family, those accused of setting her on fire are relatives and acquaintances of the accused, who is in jail for allegedly raping the minor, under the POCSO and SC/SC Act.
Meanwhile, the victim’s uncle said, “We were being threatened to withdraw the rape case and accept the decision in the Panchayat. On Monday night, I received a call from an unknown number. They told the family to withdraw the case or face consequences. At 9.30 a.m. Tuesday, when the girl’s parents were not at home, we were told that she was set on fire.”
The FIR names Sanjay, Banwari, Badan Singh, Veer Singh, Jaswant Singh, Gautam and Kajal. The police said they live close to the victim’s home.
The FIR was filed under IPC Sections 307 (attempt to murder), 147 (rioting), 506 (criminal intimidation), 452 (trespass) and relevant Sections of SC/ST Act. The FIR will be updated with Section 302 (murder) after the victim died in the evening, the police said.