Jodhpur: A 20-year-old woman was burnt alive in her village near Rajasthan’s famous with tourists’ Jodhpur city on Sunday for protesting the cutting of trees. The village sarpanch and a revenue official are among 10 people named in an FIR or police complaint.
The police say the young woman, Lalita, had objected to the cutting of trees in her farm for the construction of a road near the village, around 100 km from Jodhpur. A group of villagers allegedly attacked her, poured petrol on her and set her on fire. She died in hospital this morning.
“The dispute was over a road, my sister was opposing it…they poured petrol on her and set her on fire,” said the woman’s brother, Vidyadhar.
Protesters have demanded arrests within 24 hours.
The police say they are investigating allegations that the sarpanch or head of her village, Ranveer Singh, and revenue official Om Prakash were among those who set her on fire.
Police officer Suresh Chaudhary told a news agency : “The sarpanch and other people poured petrol on her and burnt her alive. The body is in the mortuary. We will arrest the accused soon, after a fair investigation.”
