A 35-year-old rape victim, a resident of Jothwara area in Jaipur attempted suicide by self-immolation at Jaipur’s Vaishali Nagar police station here on Sunday alleging inaction by the Rajasthan police in arresting the accused.
She has sustained nearly 60 per cent burn injuries and is currently battling for her life in the burns ward of the SMS Government Hospital. Her condition is said to be critical.
The woman, was demanding the arrest of one Ravindra Singh for allegedly raping her in 2015. Singh is her husband’s cousin. She reached Vaishali Nagar Police Station on Sunday along with her son and set herself on fire. Following this, she was immediately rushed to the hospital for treatment. A constable also received burn injuries in the attempt to save the woman and he is also receiving treatment.
The woman’s husband, in his interview to The Times of India, confirmed that his wife had registered an FIR under Section 376 (rape) against his 29-year-old cousin, resident of Jhunjhunu district, Rajasthan on June 5, 2019. He, however, claimed the police took no action in these two months which compelled the victim to take up such extreme steps.
Ravindra Singh had allegedly spiked the victim’s drink and raped her in the unconscious state. He also videographed the incident which he later used to blackmail the victim and her family members. Disturbed by all this, the victim lodged a complaint against Singh in Vaishali police station in Jaipur, Rajasthan.
“For the past two months, the investigation has not moved even an inch. Instead, police targeted my wife and hounded her as though she was an accused. One ACP had been forcing her to withdraw the case. Fed up, she set herself on fire on Sunday,” he was quoted by TOI as saying.
Sanjay Godara, SHO of Vaishali Nagar police station recounting the incident said, that the lady had come to the police station with her son and suddenly set herself on fire. She was immediately rushed to the hospital, confirmed the SHO.
When questioned about the current status of her FIR and the family’s allegations against the cops, a police officer said that the case is still in the process of investigation.
“We had quickly registered the FIR against the accused, who happens to be her relative. But some new facts emerged during the investigation, which needed to be corroborated,” an officer said to TOI on conditions of anonymity.
Meanwhile, the victim’s statement has been recorded by the magistrate at the SMS hospital where she is currently undergoing treatment.
This is, however, the second such case reported from Jaipur in recent times. On June 1, 2019, in a similar case, a 17-year-old girl had set herself ablaze in Makrana area of Nagaur district, Jaipur, a month after her father had filed a case of sexual harassment against a youth.
The Makrana SHO, Jitender Singh Charan, had then confirmed that the girl’s father had filed a case under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act a month ago against a youth. “The accused was arrested after that,” he added.
Update: The rape victim has now succumbed to her injuries.
