Etawah rape: UP girl who was allegedly set on fire by rapists, dies

A 20-year-old girl in Mulayam Singh Yadav’s hometown Etawah in Uttar Pradesh died from burn injuries today, after she was raped and set on fire by the rapists. The incident came to light on 12 July when the girl recorded a statement with the police alleging that she was set on fire by the rapist’s family when she threatened to report him. The girl had sustained 80 percent burns. Several versions of the incident had been doing the rounds and it was even reported earlier that she had succumbed to her injuries. However, it was later learnt that she was alive and had only passed away this morning. [caption id=“attachment_968809” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Protests against rape. Agencies.[/caption] The primary accused’s family has said that he was in a relationship with the girl and there were talks of them getting married soon. They denied the allegations of rape. However, the victim’s family told reporters that three men and raped her and then set her on fire. CNN IBN reports:

The sister of the girl, who was a BA student, also alleged that police did not help them and instead accused them of being involved in the crime. “Three or four men raped her and the boy said he will not marry her. My sister was heartbroken,” the girl’s sister said.

However, the ADGP of the region had a different story to tell. He said that the girl and the accused were lovers who were set to get married. However the boy’s family demanded dowry which the girl’s family refused to give. Angered by the girl having been in a relationship with the boy, her own family set her on fire and then went and torched the accused’s house. “When they came to the police station, they alleged gangrape,” ADGP Lucknow Arun Kumar said.