Bulandshahr (Uttar Pradesh): The Uttar Pradesh police have arrested five out of seven accused in connection with the rape case of a Dalit girl who was allegedly set on fire in Bulandshahr, and died in Delhi's RML Hospital
The girl was earlier allegedly raped by a local resident and the family was being pressured to withdraw her complaint.
The FIR filed by the family says seven people entered their home and set her ablaze using petrol. 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."
Bulandshahr Senior Superintendent of Police Santosh Kumar Singh said that 5 out of 7 accused have been arrested and efforts are on to nab other two as well.
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.
Meanwhile, the victim's uncle said, "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."
The FIR names Sanjay, Banwari, Badan Singh, Veer Singh, Jaswant Singh, Gautam and Kajal. The police said they live close to the victim's home. The FIR was filed under IPC Sections 307 (attempt to murder), 147 (rioting), 506 (criminal intimidation), 452 (trespass) and relevant Sections of SC/ST Act. The FIR will be updated with Section 302 (murder) after the victim died in the evening, the police said.
(With inputs from IANS)
