A 19-year-old Dalit woman from a village near Khandwa, Madhya Pradesh, was allegedly set on fire by the son of a man she had accused of harassment. The incident happened on Friday, just days after the woman had filed a police complaint against 48-year-old Mangilal, a local resident, for attempting to assault her.
According to the police, on October 7, the woman reported that Mangilal had tried to force himself on her while she was alone in a field. Mangilal was arrested and put in jail the same day, but he was released on bail the next day, October 8. The woman’s family claimed that after Mangilal’s release, they received threats.
On Friday, Mangilal’s son, Arjun, allegedly came to the woman’s house, poured petrol on her, and set her on fire. Despite her injuries, the woman managed to escape, and her family rushed her to the hospital. She was first treated at a local district hospital before being moved to a bigger hospital in Indore. Doctors said she suffered burns on 27% of her body and is in critical condition.
Arjun has been arrested and charged with attempted murder under Section 109 of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS).
Khandwa’s Superintendent of Police, Manoj Kumar Rai, stated, “The accused has been arrested and charged with attempted murder. We are conducting a thorough investigation, and the woman’s statement will be crucial.”
However, BJP leader Mukesh Tanve suggested that the woman might have set herself on fire out of fear. He said, “A young girl from a village under our Kotwali police station attempted suicide. Four days earlier, someone had tried to violate her dignity, and while a case was filed and action was taken, the accused was granted bail. It’s unclear what fears led her to douse herself in kerosene and set herself on fire.”
