Jaipur: The special court for Sati prevention cases in Rajasthan has acquitted 8 accused persons in the 1987 Roop Kanwar Sati immolation case. As per this case details, Roop Kanwar practised Sati by immolating herself on her husband's funeral pyre at Diwarala village, Sikar district, Rajasthan, in September, 1987.
The acquitted persons were identified as Mahendra Singh, Dashrath Singh, Shravan Singh, Nihal Singh, Jitendra Singh, Uday Singh, Laxman Singh and Bhanwar Singh. A total of 45 persons were accused in this case and most of them were acquitted in the past.
Defence lawyer Amar Singh Rajawat said that Roop Kanwar, a resident of Jaipur, was married to Mal Singh of Diwarala. Mal Singh died of illness seven months after their marriage. On 4 September, 1987, the 18-year-old Roop Kanwar resorted to the banned Sati practice by throwing herself on Mal Singh's pyre.
After this, on 22 September, 1988, people of their community took out a procession from Diwarala to Ajitgarh, but due to rain the procession could not proceed forward. At around 8 pm, 45 people sat in a truck and resumed the procession. During this, the police arrested these 45 persons. Four days after their arrest, the police filed a charge sheet against them on September 26.
