UP woman ‘set ablaze’ at police station, dies

Barabanki (UP), July 7

The mother of a journalist, who had accused police officials of setting her ablaze at a police station when she refused to give money to free her husband from lock up, today succumbed to injuries.

"The woman admitted to the Trauma Centre in Lucknow died this morning during treatment", Superintendent of Police Abdul Hamid said.

The government has ordered a magisterial inquiry into the incident.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav said stern action will be taken against those found guilty in the report.

Though police maintained that the middle-aged woman tried to commit suicide by immolating herself at Kothi Police Station alleging "humiliation and abuse" by police, the victim who had suffered severe burns had charged the police station in-charge and sub-inspector with torching her when she refused to give Rs 1 lakh for the release of her husband.

The woman, whose son is associated with a local Hindi daily, had said in a statement before a magistrate and the media that she was allegedly abused and humiliated when she refused to meet the demand of Rs 1 lakh for freeing her husband.

According to police, Nitu had gone to enquire about her husband Ram Narain, who was taken into custody on Saturday, when the station in-charge Ram Saheb Singh Yadav and sub-inspector Akhilesh Rai allegedly humiliated, abused and chased her away.

In a fit of rage, she allegedly sprinkled petrol and set herself on fire at the gate of the police station, police said, adding that she was rushed to the district hospital in a serious condition from where she was referred to Trauma Centre, Lucknow.

The Superintendent of Police had ordered suspension of both the policemen against whom cases have been lodged under various sections of the IPC.

Police said Ram Narain was brought to the police station on Saturday night for questioning in connection with firing over an incident of harassment of a girl in Gaha village.

The incident comes barely a month after journalist Jagendra Singh was set on fire allegedly by some UP policemen in Shahjahanpur district.

Singh's family had lodged a complaint with the police against UP minister Ram Murti Verma and five others, including policemen, at Puwayan Police Station of Shahjahanpur. —PTI