Girl set ablaze in Dumka: In yet another horrific crime against woman in Jharkhand’s Dumka, a married man set a girl ablaze as she refused his marriage proposal.
“She has been referred to Ranchi. The boy was known to the girl. The accused is already married and wanted to marry the victim. The parents (of girl) were not ready for the marriage. Probe on,” News Agency ANI quoted Jarmundi DSP Shivender on Friday.
The woman, a resident of Bhalki village in Jarmundi area, was rushed to a local hospital by family members, the officer said. The accused, already married, has been arrested, Shivender Thakur, sub-divisional police officer (SDPO), Jarmundi, told PTI.
According to Thakur, "A local man, who wanted to marry the victim, had entered her home on Friday morning, poured petrol on her when she was asleep, and set her ablaze.
"She was rushed to Phulo Jhano Medical College and Hospital by family members, and doctors later referred her to Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS)."
Repetition of the same nature of crime in the same district
Dumka made headlines after a 19-year-old girl, who was set on fire after she turned down a proposal, succumbed to her injuries on August 28. A jilted man set the girl ablaze in Dumka on August 23.
An annoying video went viral on social media in which the accused, Shahrukh (accused), was seen smiling without any line of regret on his face when he was being taken to a police vehicle.
NCW had stepped in
A fact-finding team of the NCW has found the allegation that the Jharkhand Police deliberately increased the age of the girl who died after being set ablaze by a man in Dumka district false.
The discrepancy was due to "miscommunication" at the time of recording the victim's dying declaration, the National Commission for Women said.
The accused allegedly poured petrol on the girl, who did not reciprocate his overtures, from outside the window of her room when she was sleeping and set her on fire in Dumka on August 23.
The NCW had constituted a two-member fact-finding team to inquire into the incident.
In its report, the NCW said the reported allegation that police increased the age of the victim to protect the accused was found to be false.
The NCW said it had observed that there was a discrepancy in the documentation and that the victim's date of birth mentioned in the secondary school examination shall be deemed to be valid.
"The State Government may be recommended to improve the hospitals' infrastructure to provide the best treatment in such exigency," it said.
The NCW also recommended that the Jharkhand government may take steps to create awareness among people to approach police regarding less grievous matters to avoid unfortunate incidents in the future.
(With PTI/ANI input)
Also read: Half-burnt body of woman found in Jharkhand's Dumka, probe underway
