In a horrifying incident, Ankita Singh who was 19 years old succumbed to her burn injuries on August 28. Ankita was studying in 12th and was aiming to become a police officer. She was, however, set on fire on an ill-fated night on August 23. The accused has been identified as Shahrukh who used to stalk Ankita pestering her to become a friend. Ankita’s father has said that Shahrukh would stalk her and pester her to convert to Islam and marry him.
Ankita in her dying statement stated that the boy had called her on August 22 and had forced her to accept his ‘friendship’. He had threatened to kill her if she refused to talk to him. “He told me that he would kill me if I did not talk to him. I informed my father about the threat, after which he assured me that he would talk to the man’s family”, Ankita had said. However, on August 23 at 4 am, Shahrukh threw petrol through a window in Ankita’s room and set her ablaze.
Reports mention that while she was immediately taken to the hospital for treatment, her family struggled to save her. Ankita’s father runs a grocery shop and barely earns Rs 200 per day. Ankita was taken to the hospital for treatment where she was referred to the Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) for further treatment. Her family reportedly struggled to pay for her treatment.
Ankita could have been alive today had the Jharkhand government extended her the required financial assistance the way it aided stone pelter Nadeem Ansari in June this year. Rioter Nadeem who was hit by a bullet during a protest against remarks on the Prophet in Ranchi was treated at the cost of the state government in Delhi. He was admitted at RIMS and was later airlifted by an air ambulance to Gurugram’s Medanta hospital for further advanced treatment. The government had then paid for his treatment at the hospital.
Nadeem was accused of rioting during the violence that broke out in Ranchi during the protests over ex-BJP leader Nupur Sharma’s comments on Prophet Muhammad.
In case of Ankita, the Jharkhand government failed to provide even an ordinary ambulance in time. Had Ankita been treated at RIMS from the start, she might have survived. CM Heman Soren instead chose to continue to enjoy picnic with other 43 MLAs of the state at Latratu.
Further, while the citizens protested against the state administration demanding strict action against the accused Shahrukh in the case, the state government imposed section 144, prohibiting citizens from raising their voices. People also yelled anti-administration chants in response and demanded the hanging of Shahrukh during Ankita’s funeral.
Days after Ankita’s death, videos of her last words are going viral over social media where she can be heard demanding painful death for the accused who set her on fire alive. “He should die the way I am dying today,” the Dumka girl had said who breathed her last at 2.30 am on Sunday morning.
She reiterated that Shahrukh Hussain had threatened her with dire consequences the night before the attack. She further recalled how she went and immediately informed her father about the same. Since it was late in the night, her father asked her to sleep and said they would think about what step needed to be taken the next morning.
Ankita further said in her dying declaration that she was in deep sleep at around 4 in the morning, when Shahrukh and his friend, whom she identified as Chhotu, threw petrol at her from the room’s window and set her on fire. When her eyes opened she saw the two running away. On being asked, Ankita confirmed that the area she lived in had a predominantly Muslim population.
As reported earlier, the Police and district administration are currently less focused on punishing accused Shahrukh Hussain severely. CM Heman Soren meanwhile has condemned the incident and has declared financial assistance of Rs 10 lakh, a day after Ankita breathed her last.
