Woman Sets Herself on Fire Outside Supreme Court
A 24-year-old woman from Uttar Pradesh, had accused BSP parliamentarian Atul Rai of rape in 2019, died after setting herself afire outside the gates of the Supreme Court of India.
In May 2019, a 24-year-old woman from Uttar Pradesh had filed a case against Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) MP Atul Rai in 2019. She alleged that the MP had raped her at his residence in Varanasi. He surrendered a month later and has been in jail since. ??In November 2020, Rai's brother filed a forgery case against the woman in Varanasi. In March 2021, the woman had filed a plea in the Supreme Court, seeking transfer of her rape case from Allahabad to Delhi for a fair trial and claimed that she faced a threat to her life. She also alleged that some senior police officers were supporting Rai. Earlier this month, the police went to arrest her but she was untraceable. The court then issued a non-bailable warrant. The woman and her friend then travelled to Delhi and did a Facebook Live video.
In the LIVE video they said that, “Atul Rai and his brothers have been harassing us a lot. They just want us to die. We have given up and are ready to end our lives. We want all you, the people of Uttar Pradesh and the country, to hear this.” Then on 16 August the girl and her friend reached the Supreme Court gate in Delhi. They were seen dousing themselves in some liquid and then setting themselves on fire. The Man suffered 65% burns and the woman suffered 85% burns. They were quickly taken to the hospital where they battled with their wounds for a week but sadly both succumbed to their injuries. Following the incident two Varanasi policemen who were probing the forgery case against the woman were suspended.
Correction : In March 2021, the woman had filed a plea in the Supreme Court, seeking transfer of her rape case from Allahabad to Delhi.
