Temperature in the state is on the rise and so is the temperament of the youth as in yet another bizarre incident of a jilted lover turning violent, a 23-year-old pharmacy student was set afire by her three classmates, including one who allegedly had an affair with her, after she resisted an alleged bid to rape her at her home at Ozhara village here, police said.
The woman succumbed to her injuries on Sunday. While the victim was alone in her house, her three classmates - Ankit Rathore (who allegedly had an affair with her), Vishal Chouhan and Akshay Joshi — entered her home and set her on fire after pouring kerosene on her on Saturday, police said.
Sub-Divisional Officer of Police (SDOP), Barwah, Sunil Jolly said prima facie it appears that an attempt was made by the accused to rape her and when she resisted, they poured kerosene over her and set her afire. After being set on fire, the woman shouted for help following which some villagers reached her house and caught the three accused as they were trying to escape. The villagers locked them up in a room and informed the police and the woman's parents, police said. The victim, who suffered over 96 per cent burn injuries, was rushed to a private hospital in Indore where she succumbed to her injuries on Sunday. Before her death, a magistrate recorded her statement but its contents were not yet disclosed, police said.
Police said they were yet to ascertain the exact reason behind the offence and added that the victim and the three accused were students of a private pharmacy college in the district.
Khargone District Superintendent of Police NP Warkade said it was suspected to be a case of one-sided love affair. He also said that the accused entered the house from behind, adding that the truth will come out after the probe.
A case under section 307 (attempt to murder), 450 (house trespass in order to commit offence) and 34 (acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention) of the IPC has been registered against the accused. On May 8, a jilted lover had shot dead a bride in Bhopal on her wedding stage in full public view alleging that she cheated him.