LUCKNOW: A 19-year-old Dalit girl was burnt alive allegedly by two siblings in Lalganj area in Pratapgarh district, around 180 km away from state capital Lucknow, on late Monday evening. The victim
was rushed to the hospital with around 80 per cent burns and succumbed during the treatment. Pratapgarh police, however, arrested the two accused identified as Kalloo and Dipu, both Lalaganj residents, on Tuesday.
At the time of the incident, victim Anju (19), daughter of Mithailal, was alone when the two accused barged into her house. Dragging the girl, they doused her with kerosene and set her afire. The reason for the incident is believed to be an old enmity.
The girl with 80 per cent burns was first taken to a district hospital where the doctors referred her to SRN Hospital, Allahabad. After battling for life for few hours, the girl breathed her last past Monday midnight.
As per the local police sources, the incident took place at Raniganj Ajgara market under Lalganj police station.
The accused had some dispute with victim’s brother Bachchan Pasi last year. Minor rift grew to become a full-blown acrimony between the two side following which, Bachchan Pasi stabbed Dipu on April 1, 2017. Consequently, Bachchan was arrested and sent to jail where he had been languishing for the last eight months. The sources claimed that after the dispute with Bachchan and his subsequent arrest,
the accused often used to intimidate Mithailal and his family.
According to SP, Pratapgarh, Shogun Gautam, a person called Sahil, who is victim's neighbour, also got injured in the incident while trying to save the girl from the clutches of hoodlums. He is currently undergoing treatment at a local hospital in Pratapgarh. The SP further maintained that police had been conducting thorough investigations into the case.