Many are well aware of the fact that Uttar Pradesh is India’s most populous state which is known for its poor record regarding crimes against women, with more than 4,200 cases of rape reported there in 2017 alone, which is the highest in the country.
In shocking news that sparked public outrage in India, a 23-year-old rape victim was set on fire by a notorious gang of men, which included her alleged rapist. The woman was then rushed to New Delhi hospital and the doctor who treated her confirmed that she has passed away.
What happened? The woman was on her way to board a train in Unnao district of northern UP in order to attend a court hearing on Thursday regarding her rape. It was when she was poured with kerosene and immediately set on fire, according to police.
It is to be noted that the unexpected attack is the second major case of violence against women in the past 2 weeks.
The woman drew her last breath on Friday after suffering a cardiac arrest, said Dr Shalabh Kumar who is head of the burns and plastic department at New Delhi’s Safdarjung hospital. “She was having 95% burns,” he said while adding that “toxic and hot fumes” filled her lungs.
The woman registered a complaint with Unnao police in March alleging she had been gang-raped at gunpoint on 12 December 2018, as per police documents.
Having been jailed, the alleged rapist was released last week after securing bail, police officer SK Bhagat added in Lucknow.