Dalit woman set on fire in MP days after filing harassment complaint, BJP leader backs accused : Valley Vision

A 19-year-old Dalit woman from a village near Khandwa in Madhya Pradesh was allegedly set on fire by the son of a man she had accused of harassment.

She is in critical condition with burns covering 27 per cent of her body.

The incident occurred on 11 October, four days after the woman filed a police complaint against 48-year-old Mangilal, a resident of her village, for attempting to assault her.

The woman had filed a complaint on 7 October, stating that Mangilal had attempted to force himself on her while she was alone in a field.

The accused was arrested and jailed the same day but was released on bail on October 8, India Today reported.

The woman’s family alleged they were threatened after his release.

On Friday, Mangilal’s son, Arjun, allegedly went to the woman’s house, poured petrol on her, and set her on fire. She managed to escape and was taken to the hospital by her family, according to the police complaint.

Arjun has been charged with attempt to murder under Section 109 of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS), the police stated.

Meanwhile, BJP leader Mukesh Tanve defended the accused and put blame on the survivor. Tanve said that the woman had attempted self-immolation due to fear, but the police are treating the case as a criminal act.