BARIPADA: A 62-year-old man was arrested on Saturday for raping and trying to kill his own daughter-in-law by setting her on fire at Bazarsahi area of Rairangpur in Odisha. The woman, who sustained 95 per cent burns is now battling for life at a hospital in Jamshedpur in the neighbouring Jharkhand state.
The accused Ram Gopal allegedly raped his daughter-in-law after finding her alone in the house at on Friday evening. Apprehending trouble, Gopal later poured kerosene and set her on fire. Sources said the accused was repeatedly sexually exploiting his daughter-in-law for the past few months. Though the victim had brought the matter to the notice of her husband, he advised her not to disclose the matter to anyone.
The victim had also narrated her ordeal to her brother through text messages from her mobile phone. The shocking incident came to light after few attendants at a hospital in Rairangpur informed local police about the incident. The family members of the woman reportedly thrashed Gopal and lodged a complaint in connection with the heinous crime at the local police station. “A case under Indian Penal Code sections 307 and 376 and 498 (a) has been registered against four persons, including the prime accused Ram Gopal, in connection with the incident and further investigation is on,” said Rairangpur sub-divisional police officer (SDPO) Ajay Kumar Dhar.
