Patna, April 15 :The civic body chief of a Bihar town has been charged with attempting to burn a woman alive after he allegedly tried to molest her, the police said Tuesday.
A case has been lodged against Navin Yadav of Thakurganj in Kishanganj district for allegedly trying to burn the woman, a widow, after she resisted his attempts to molest her, said Superintendent of Police M.R. Naik.
"The case was filed on the basis of a statement by her husband's elder brother," he added. Kishanganj is about 350 km from the state capital here.
The victim, in her 30s, is battling for her life with nearly 90 percent burns after Yadav allegedly set her on fire. She was admitted in a critical condition to a nursing home in Siliguri in neighbouring West Bengal.
"A police team has been rushed to record her statement. Only after that will the real story unfold," Naik said.
Naik has ordered Deputy Superintendent of Police Ravish Kumar to probe the case.
The victim, a resident of station road in Thakurganj and a mother of two, was heard crying for help after Yadav allegedly set her ablaze in her room Sunday night. She told her relatives that Yadav had poured kerosene on her before setting her on fire, police sources said.
Her family members told the police that in the past Yadav had often demanded sexual favours from the victim and had threatened her.
"Yadav threatened her on Sunday too, but she refused. Angered by her resistance, Yadav forcibly entered her room and tried to burn her," a relative said.
The victim's husband died four years ago. After his death, Asha looked after a printing business started by him to earn a living.
(IANS)
