The particular death of a schoolgirl after being fixed on fire by a good alleged stalker has triggered protests within the eastern Indian state of Jharkhand. BBC Hindi’s Ravi Prakash reports on the occurrence and its aftermath.
Ankita Singh died in the early hours of Sunday in a hospital within the state capital of Ranchi, where the girl had been admitted along with severe burn accidental injuries. According to the police issue, she was nineteen years old.
Police have got arrested two guys – the main arrested, Shahrukh, had been bothering the girl on the cell phone for a few days, they have said. The other guy is allegedly a co-employee who provided the particular petrol used for the particular attack.
Government information says that a large number of stalking cases are reported in India every year. Gender rights activists say the amount could be much higher since victims hesitate in order to approach the police from fear. Over the years, there have also been several cases of stalkers attacking or throwing acidity on women that have rejected them.
A major reason for Ankita’s loss of life sparking protests plus making headlines across the country was that the target and alleged perpetrator belonged to different religions.
Ankita’s grief-stricken household said she was obviously a caring girl exactly who loved her family and wanted to study nicely.
“She wanted to obtain a government job to ensure that she could help the girl father support the family, ” said her grandmother, Vimla Devi.
Ankita’s mom had died of cancer a year . 5 ago, so the lady lived with the girl father, grandparents plus younger brother.
“After her mother’s death, she took proper care of her young brother. She was obviously a very sensitive gal, ” her grandmother added.
The girl father, Sanjeev Singh, has said in the police complaint that their daughter had told him that Shahrukh – who lived in the same neighborhood – had been bothering her by contacting her on the phone several times. At first, he admits that, he didn’t bring it seriously.
Hours just before her death, Shahrukh allegedly called Ankita and told her which he would kill her if she did not meet him. Mr Singh says he was planning to speak with Shahrukh and his loved ones the next morning.
But at around 4am, while Ankita was sleeping near the window, Shahrukh allegedly poured petrol on her behalf and threw the lit match.
Ankita’s death offers sparked protests simply by Hindu right-wing companies who have alleged that will Shahrukh, a Muslim, wished to commit “love jihad” by converting the victim, a Hindu, to his religious beliefs.
“Love-jihad” is a controversial term used by sweeping Hindu groups to accuse Muslim men of converting Hindu women by marriage.
Amber Lakra, police superintendent of Dumka city, where both Ankita and Shahrukh lived, informed BBC Hindi the fact that crime was not one of religion. He added that Shahrukh have been calling Ankita around the phone for the past few days and harassing the girl.
“We are being especially vigilant as the youngster and girl are part of different religions, inch he added.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), that is in opposition within the state, has arrested the government of not really acting swiftly enough, and being distracted with a political controversy .
But the government : a coalition brought by regional party Jharkhand Mukti Morcha – has sent senior police officials to Dumka, announced compensation for Ankita’s family, and guaranteed swift punishment towards the accused.
The Jharkhand high court has additionally asked police for the report on the homicide and ordered that this teen’s family end up being provided adequate safety.
Two videos of Ankita in medical center have gone viral on social media. In one of them, she is responding to questions from the Dumka executive magistrate. In it, she accuses Shahrukh of pouring petrol on her through the windows.
A doctor in the hospital in Ranchi, where Ankita have been shifted after major treatment, told BBC Hindi that the lady had suffered 45% burns to her body.
“Her face has been untouched, but the girl body was badly burned, ” he or she said, speaking on condition of anonymity.
Back in Dumka, Ankita’s family is inconsolable.
“Now we only have her memories, ” says her grandma.
“This house feels empty. ”
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