New Delhi: A man in Jharkhand’s Dumka district was arrested on Saturday by the police for allegedly setting ablaze a woman for turning down his proposal for marriage, reported news agency ANI. The arrested accused has been sent to judicial custody, said Dumka Deputy Inspector General of Police Sudarshan Prasad Mandal.
A Special Investigation Team has also been constituted to probe the matter, the DIG added.
Following the incident, a compensation of Rupees 10 lakh for the bereaved family was announced by Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren.
The CM had expressed his grief and announced the compensation via Twitter.
"I am deeply grieved by the death of a daughter in Dumka's Jarmundi. I pray that the deceased's soul rests in peace and that her family gets the strength to bear the situation. The perpetrator is under police arrest. I have announced Rupees 10 lakh compensation for the deceased's family,” Soren tweeted.
The 19-year-old woman was set ablaze by the accused on Thursday night after which she succumbed to her burn injuries at Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) in Ranchi. Her family is waiting for the post-mortem report after which her last rites will be performed.
Meanwhile, her grandfather has demanded that the culprit be “hanged”.
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 news agency PTI.
The incident sparked anger among the people while the opposition Bhartiya Janata Party alleged that the law and order situation was deteriorating in the state.
(With agency inputs)