Lucknow/New Delhi: Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) chief Barkha Shukla Singh on Tuesday blamed the Uttar Pradesh government led by Akhilesh Yadav for a gruesome incident took place on Monday.
The mother of a journalist was set ablaze yesterday at Kothi police station in Barabanki allegedly by two policemen after she refused to "bribe" them to free her husband. But the policemen say that the woman had immolated herself.
Talking to news agency ANI, the DCW chairperson said the case needs to be probed and an action needs to be taken against the policemen involved in it.
Meanwhile, Nitu Dwivedi's son said that he wants justice as his mother will only rest in peace when the guilty are punished.
The BJP also hit out at the UP Police, saying: "The Akhilesh Yadav-led government's police have found a new way to deal with dissent."
"A similar incident happened in Shahjahanpur. The police, who are supposed to be the protector of society, are themselves the reason for fear," BJP leader Vijay Bahadur Pathak said.
Nitu was earlier rushed to district hospital in Barabanki and later referred to a Lucknow hospital's trauma centre, where she died last night.
Superintendent of Police Abdul Hamid ordered suspension of police station in-charge and sub-inspector against whom cases have been lodged under various sections of the IPC.
Additional police force has been deployed in the area in view of tension over the incident.
The woman in her statement before a magistrate and media alleged that she was abused and humiliated when she refused to meet the demand of Rs one lakh for freeing her husband.
The visuals of the woman, whose son is associated with a Hindi daily, went viral on the electronic media as the incident took place barely a month after journalist Jagendra Singh was set on fire allegedly by some UP policemen in Shahjahanpur district.
According to the police, Nitu had gone to inquire about her husband Ram Narain, who was taken into custody on Saturday. They said that station in-charge Ram Saheb Singh Yadav and sub-inspector Akhilesh Rai allegedly humiliated, abused and chased her away.
In a fit of rage, she sprinkled petrol and set herself on fire at the gate of the police station, police said adding that she was rushed to district hospital in a serious condition.
Police said Ram Narain was brought to the police station on Saturday night for questioning in connection with firing over eve teasing in Gaha village here.
(With PTI inputs)
