Jul 7, 2:30 PM
Two accused policemen who allegedly tried to set a 40-year-old woman ablaze after attempting to rape her in Barabanki in Uttar Pradesh have been suspended. The victim had suffered serious burns and died last night. She told Barabanki district magistrate that the incident took place when she went to the Kothi police station to enquire about her husband, who was detained by the police a day earlier. The two policemen then allegedly tried raping her, after which they doused her with petrol and set her on fire. Superintendent of police said that the SHO, Kothi and one Sub Inspector have been suspended and an FIR was registered against the duo as well.
The woman’s son who is a journalist with a local Hindi daily, told media that there was a clash in their village a few days ago, in which one person was injured. Following that, police detained the victim’s husband, who is a relative of one of the accused in the clash. In her statement, the woman said that the two policemen took her to a room in the police station. They snatched her jewellery and allegedly tried to outrage her modesty. She said when she tried to raise an alarm, they poured petrol on her and set her afire.
The suspended policemen have, however, denied the charges saying the woman had herself poured petrol and set herself ablaze. The incident comes just few weeks after a Shahjahanpur based journalist was set ablaze allegedly on the behest of UP Minister Ram Murthi Verma.