Unnao Repeat? Dalit Rape Victim Allegedly Set Ablaze By Kin Of Accused In Bulandshahr, Dies

A 15-year-old Dalit girl, who was allegedly set on fire in UP's Bulandshahr, has died in Delhi's RML Hospital.

The incident happened on Tuesday and the girl succumbed in the night.

BCCL

According to the victim's family, the girl was raped by a local youth in August and he was arrested and is still in jail.

Accused family pressurised victim's family

However, the family of the accused was allegedly pressuring them to withdraw the case.

The uncle of the accused and one of his friends were forcing the victim to reach a compromise.

"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," a relative of the girl said.

Reuters

The police had initially said that the girl had attempted to self-immolate as she was under pressure.

"Victim attempted self-immolation as she was pressured to go in for compromise regarding the case by a family member of accused," SSP Bulandshahr Santosh Kumar Singh said on Tuesday.

But 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."

The FIR filed by the family says seven people entered their home and set her ablaze using petrol.

BCCL/ FILE

SSP Singh said that 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.

Unnao repeat?

The incident in Bulandshahr is strikingly similar to another shocking crime that was reported from Unnao in December 2019, where a rape complainant was set ablaze by five men including the alleged rapist who was out on bail.

bccl

The 23-year-old was on her way to the court when she was attacked by five men, including two who were accused of raping her. She was beaten with sticks and stabbed before they poured kerosene and set her on fire. According to eyewitnesses, who came to her rescue, the girl had run for nearly a kilometer screaming for help.

The victim who suffered 90 percent burns was shifted to Delhi's Safdarjung Hospital for treatment, where she died the next day.