Bhopal, October 18: A 19-year-old woman, who was set afire by her molester's son, succumbed to her injuries at a hospital early on Friday in Madhya Pradesh's Khandwa district. The woman with over 70 per cent burns was being treated at Yeshwantrao Hospital in Indore.

Detailing the sequence of the events, police said that on October 7, the victim complained to the police against Mangilal Balai alleging that he molested her. Acting on her police complaint, Mangilal was arrested, but he secured bail the next day, October 8. Madhya Pradesh Shocker: 16-Year-Old Girl Allegedly Dies by Suicide After Jumping From 80-Foot-High Water Tank Near Garba Pandal in Dewas.

Mangilal's son Arjun pressured the victim to withdraw her complaint against his father, but as she denied it, he poured petrol on her and set her afire. According to police, Arjun, 22 poured petrol on the woman and set her afire to take revenge. "The woman, who was admitted at Maharaja Yeshwantrao Hospital in Indore, succumbed to her injuries early on Friday. The body has been sent for the post-mortem," Khandwa Superintendent of Police (SP) Manoj Kumar Rai said.

After he attacked the woman, Arjun was arrested on October 12 on the charges of attempt to murder and was subsequently sent to judicial custody, Rai said, adding that murder charges will now be added to the FIR against the accused. The Congress slammed the state government saying: "Repeated brutal incidents against women show that criminals have no fear in BJP rule." "The death of Khandwa's daughter has once again shown that the law and order situation in Madhya Pradesh has collapsed. Daughters are unsafe everywhere and the morale of criminals is high," former CM Kamal Nath said. Madhya Pradesh Shocker: Enraged Over Lover’s Daughter Crying, Man Throws Toddler on Ground Before Smothering Her to Death in Shivpuri.

Reacting to Congress' allegation, MP BJP media in-charge Ashish Agarwal said: "The accused were arrested within the next few hours of the crime." "CM Mohan Yadav-led BJP government is committed to providing justice to every victim in the state. Congress, which keeps a vulture-like eye on sensitive events for its selfish interests, makes new unsuccessful attempts every day to defame the government and the administration, but faces defeat," Agrawal said.

Women and Child Helpline Numbers:

Childline India – 1098; Women’s Helpline – 181; National Commission for Women Helpline – 112; National Commission for Women Helpline Against Violence – 7827170170; Police Women / Senior Citizen Helpline – 1091/ 1291; Missing Child and Women – 1094.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Oct 18, 2024 05:38 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).