Dumka, 8 Oct: The distraught grandfather of Maruti Kumari who was set on fire by a rejected suitor in Jharkhand’s Dumka district demanded the culprit be hanged .
The woman died at Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) in Ranchi hours after she was set ablaze on Friday.
The 22-year-old woman used to stay with her maternal grandparents at Bhalki village, about 300 km from state capital Ranchi, since childhood.
Family members, including her maternal aunt Kajal Devi, echoed her grandfather’s sentiment, saying they want nothing but a painful death for the perpetrator of the crime.
“We have lost our child. Now we want nothing…Our only demand is that the culprit should be hanged, the victim’s 65-year-old maternal grandfather, Kishan Raut, told PTI.
Maruti, who was academically bright, used to live with them and he had got her admitted to SP College in Dumka, Raut said.
“On the fateful night the accused knocked at the door, tried to drag her outside, and poured petrol on her. We have lost our child…No one should meet a similar fate like her, ” Raut said in a choked voice.
Bhalki Panchayat Committee member Sharda Devi also demanded that the man should be hanged .
There are about 50 houses at Bhalki village and an eerie silence prevails there after the incident. (PTI)
Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren had expressed grief over the tragic incident and announced an ex-gratia of Rs 10 lakh to the next of kin of the victim.
State Agriculture Minister, Badal Patralekh told PTI that they will ensure that the case is fast-tracked so that justice was delivered to Maruti’s family.
The incident sparked anger among the people while opposition Bhartiya Janata Party alleged that law and order situation was deteriorating in the state.
The police arrested the accused, who was already married, and booked him under relevant sections of the IPC.
As per the woman’s statement recorded before a magistrate before her death, the accused had threatened her to kill her in the manner in which Ankita Kumari, a Class 12 student, was set ablaze in Dumka, if she did not agree to marry him.
On August 23, Ankita Kumari was set on fire allegedly by a man for spurning his advances in Dumka. She died days later.
Last month, a 14-year-old tribal girl was found hanging from a tree in Dumka, with her mother claiming that she was raped and killed. (PTI)