In yet another incident exposing the brazen face of Uttar Pradesh Police, a middle-aged woman, said to be the mother of a journalist, was molested and set ablaze by two policemen after she refused to “bribe” them to free her husband, reports said on Tuesday.
The 40-year-old woman, who suffered serious burns, died late last night.
“The woman admitted to the Trauma Centre in Lucknow died early morning during treatment”, Superintendent of Police Abdul Hamid said.
State’s Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav today ordered a magisterial inquiry into the Barabanki incident and assured that strictest action will be taken against the guilty officials.
Government has ordered a magisterial inquiry, stringent action will be taken against the culprits, CM Akhilesh Yadav told reporters.
The shocking incident took place yesterday at Kothi Police Station here after which the authorities suspended the two officials and registered a case against them.
Ironically, both the policemen have denied the charge, saying that the woman had immolated herself.
The victim ‘Nitu Dwivedi’ was rushed to district hospital here and later referred to a Lucknow hospital’s Trauma Centre after her condition worsened.
Superintendent of Police Abdul Hamid later ordered the suspension of police station in-charge and sub-inspector against whom cases have been lodged under various sections of the IPC.
The woman, in her statement, before a Magistrate and media alleged that she was abused and humiliated when she refused to meet the demand of Rs one lakh for freeing her husband.
The visuals of the woman, whose son is associated with a Hindi daily, went viral on the electronic media as the incident took place barely a month after journalist Jagendra Singh was set on fire allegedly by some UP policemen in Shahjahanpur district.
The UP police had claimed that Nitu had gone to inquire about her husband Ram Narain, who was taken into custody on Saturday. They said that station in-charge Ram Saheb Singh Yadav and sub-inspector Akhilesh Rai allegedly humiliated, abused and chased her away.
