A 16-year-old girl was allegedly raped and set on fire by her boyfriend early on Monday morning at Tigri village under Bisrakh police station in Greater Noida.
The Uttar Pradesh police arrested the accused, identified as 18-year-old Ajay Kumar, who was in a relationship with the victim for the last one year. The victim, with 95 per cent burn injuries, has been admitted to the intensive care unit of the Safdarjung Hospital in New Delhi.
The incident has led to increase in communal tension in the village as the victim and the accused are from different communities. Sensing trouble, the UP police has deployed heavy force in the area.
The victim’s father, who works in a garment factory, told the police that at 2 am on Monday, he heard weeping sound from terrace of his house, located in Tigri village, Greater Noida. When he went to check, he found his daughter lying on the floor with severe burn injuries.
He immediately alerted his neighbours and took his daughter to a local hospital. He then informed the police.
“I had reported the matter to local police around 10 months ago, at that time the matter was compromised after intervention of senior villagers. At the hospital, my daughter told me that she was been raped before the accused poured kerosene on her and burned her,” claimed the victim’s father.
The accused too is from the same village and the couple had been in a relationship for over a year. “The accused had an affair with the victim and they live in the same village. During the wee hours of Monday, he had visited her residence. Her family members alleged that Ajay had raped her and set her ablaze before fleeing the spot. We have registered a case under relevant sections of Indian Penal Code (IPC). The accused was arrested from his residence and sent to jail,” said Rakesh Yadav, Circle Officer 3, Greater Noida.
There have been incidents of violence in the village as yet, according to the police. “No untoward incident has been reported from the area, so far. Deploying force was a precautionary measure as the victim and the accused are from different communities. The situation is under control and life is normal at the village. We have also called a meeting of the village peace committee,” he added.
The police said doctors at the Safdarjung Hospital had told them the victim had received 95 per cent burn injuries.
“The investigating officer visited the hospital and recorded the victim’s statement. The matter is under investigation. The accused has been booked under sections of rape and attempt to murder,” said Mr Yadav, but offered no details of medical corroboration of rape allegations.
