Mirroring recent major rape cases in India, a 13 years old victim in Uttar Pradesh was set on fire by her uncle after she accused him of raping her on Friday. The girl was brutally attacked on Saturday as she was on her way to the police station with her parents to file a complaint against the uncle.
District police chief Prashant Verma said “the victim was alone at home while her family members were working in the fields. During this time her uncle entered the house and raped her.”
The victim suffered burns to around 80-90 percent of her body and is fighting for her life in a hospital in Kanpur, where Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently took a boat ride on the Ganga River with senior government officials. The attack follows a rape and murder case in Hyderabad that sparked outrage across India.
Earlier this week, a 16-year-old rape survivor in the same district filed complains of an "Unnao-like" threat by the four accused if she doesn't withdraw the case against them.
On 6 December, in a separate case, the 23-year-old Unnao rape victim succumbed to her 90 per cent burn injuries in a Delhi hospital, days after being attacked with sharp objects and set ablaze while on her way to court. The attack was allegedly carried out by the same men who were accused of raping her.