Jilted lover, his brother and uncle set woman ablaze, arrested

A jilted lover along with his brother and uncle set ablaze a 23-year-old woman in the Mukundpur area of North-west Delhi on Saturday for allegedly refusing his marriage proposal and for accusing him of harassment. Investigators said that the family of the accused also allegedly brutally assaulted the woman’s mother, brother and his friend. 

Police said that they arrested the jilted lover, Abhishek, his brother Karan and their uncle, Vijay on Saturday late night and on Monday, all the three were sent to judicial custody. Police said that they are searching for the others who were part of the gory crime.

According to the senior police officers of the North-west district, the young woman suffered 70 per cent burns. Initially admitted to Babu Jagjivan Ram Hospital, the woman was later referred to Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Hospital in Central Delhi as her condition deteriorated on Sunday. Sources, meanwhile, said that the woman continued to be in a critical condition on Monday evening.

Police said that the incident took place at around 11 pm on Saturday. In the evening, the woman received a message from Abhishek on her mobile phone asking her to meet him late in the night.

Sources said that in the text message Abhishek had allegedly threatened to kill her if she failed to meet him.

Investigators said that the woman showed the message to his brother who then met Abhishek and rebuked him. Abhishek, meanwhile, apologised and assured him that he would not harass her again. After this, the woman’s brother left for a nearby market. “At around 8.15 pm, he returned home and found Abhishek’s uncle, Vijay, arguing with his mother and verbally abusing her. When he protested, Vijay pushed his mother due to which she fell on the stairs. Vijay called Abhishek, Karan and others and they allegedly attacked the brother and his friend with blunt objects,” said an officer. 

The officer added that Abhishek and Vijay then allegedly went up to the woman’s room on the first floor and poured kerosene on her body and set her on fire. After which, the duo fled the house. To this, the neighbours doused the fire and rushed the woman to a nearby hospital. Investigators said Abhishek allegedly was in a relationship with the woman. However, her family members had disapproved of it and had asked her not to meet him. Further probe into the matter is on. Meanwhile, police said that they have registered a case under Sections 323, 307, 452 and 34 of IPC against the accused at the Bhalswa Dairy police station.