A Muslim girl in Bihar, India died on Monday 17 days after she was set on fire, alive by a Hindu man for refusing to marry him. Three men set the woman on fire when she resisted harassment and refused to marry a boy named, Satish.
The incident happened nearly two weeks ago. The accused men allegedly splashed kerosene oil on her, burnt her alive, and threw her in a deep pit. Her sister and villagers followed her and admitted to the hospital when she screamed for help.
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The victim even recorded her video statement from the hospital bed in which she named Satish and his two accomplices. The video of the girl went viral on social media spurring nationwide protests and calls for the arrests of the accused.
بھارت: ہندو لڑکے سے شادی سے انکار پر ’زندہ جلائی‘ جانے والی لڑکی دم توڑ گئی pic.twitter.com/w8YfexoygF
— Independent Urdu (@indyurdu) November 17, 2020
According to the police reports, the girl and the accused had a verbal spat, however, further investigation will reveal if she was molested too.
The mother of the girl has accused the Bihar Police of inaction and negligence.
“Satish Kumar Rai was harassing my daughter. He also threatened her that he would kill her if she didn’t agree to his terms and marry him. Satish asked my daughter to go with him,” the victim’s mother is heard saying.
“After she replied that she can’t go with him as she is a Muslim and her wedding has already been fixed, he and his father Vinod Rai, cousin Chandan Kumar Rai and Chandan’s father Vijay Rai set her on fire with kerosene,” she added.
The mother of the girl added that no action has been taken despite the FIR being registered two weeks ago.
“We need justice, it’s been 17 days since my daughter was burnt. We are helpless people who do tailoring for a living. She said no, that’s why they burnt her. Only four months were left for her wedding,” she said.
Vaishali Superintendent of Police Maneesh said that the delay in the arrest is because the suspects are on run.
“The girl is aged between 19 and 20 years. She has accused three people of setting her on fire with kerosene. She breathed her last Sunday. The incident took place on 30 October evening and the FIR was lodged on 2 November,” the SP said.
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“A case has been registered against the three accused named by the girl — Satish, his father, and cousin. Satish and Chandan are brothers (uncle’s son),” SP Maneesh added.
“The girl had said that the accused harassed her, but only further investigation will reveal if she was molested too,” the SP said.