Nagpur: From wails to high-pitched slogans demanding death for the accused, emotions ranged from one extreme to another as the 25-year-old woman lecturer, who died on Monday morning, days after she was set ablaze by a stalker, was cremated in the presence of thousands in Daroda village in Maharashtra's Wardha district in evening.
Amid outpouring of grief and anger, Ankita Pisudde's last journey began from the hospital in Nagpur, where she breathed her last this morning, to her native village Daroda via Hinganghat--the total distance of about 100 kms.
While heavy security was deployed in Hinganghat, some angry locals threw stones to block the road when the ambulance carrying the body was on way to Daroda.
The local police, however, managed to control the situation and the Rapid Action Force was also deployed in the area, an official said.
Earlier in the day, residents of Daroda village blocked the highway demanding capital punishment for the arrested accused, Vikesh Nagrale (27).
Nagrale allegedly set Pisudde ablaze after dousing her with petrol, which he took out from his motorcycle, on the morning of February 3 in Hinganghat while she was on her way to her college.
Pisudde suffered inhalation injuries and grade-III burns of 35-40% in the attack.
According to police, Nagrale, a married man, had been stalking the lecturer for many days before the attack.
After the ambulance carrying Pisudde's body entered the village in afternoon, a large number of crowd, mainly comprising women and children, followed it to the residence of the deceased.
Villagers assembled at the spot demanded a written assurance from the state government asking a government job for the victim's younger brother, a compensation of Rs one crore and the strictest punishment for Nagrale.
Wardha district collector gave a written assurance on the government job for Pisudde's younger brother.
Pisudde's final journey began around 4:30 pm from her residence to the crematorium, a distance of around 1 km.
By that time, the crowd swelled to more than 5,000, with many people from neighbouring villagers too joining the funeral procession.
Around 5:30 pm, Pisudde's father lit the funeral pyre amid spontaneous cries demanding justice for the deceased and slogans hailing the young lecturer.
Many people, especially women, present at the crematorium couldn't control their tears as the flames of the pyre went up.
Many women demanded implementation of the "Hyderabad pattern" to give justice to Pisudde.
All businesses in the small village remained shut throughout the day as a tribute to the departed soul.
Villagers, mostly farmers, didn't go to their fields for regular work.
Pisudde's distraught father said he hoped his daughter would get speedy justice and it would not be delayed like the 2012 Nirbhaya gangrape case.
"The accused man should also go through the pain that my daughter had suffered in these seven days. We want immediate justice and it should not be delayed as in the Nirbhaya case," he told reporters in the village.
Hinganghat MLA Samir Kunawar and Wardha MP Ramdas Tadas also attended the last rites of the victim.
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(PTI REPORT)
