Young lover couple set afire by woman’s family, man dies

Kanpur: A young couple was set on fire by the woman’s family members who were against their alleged relationship at a village under the limits of Mataundh police station in Banda district on Wednesday. While the man died, the woman is battling for life in the hospital in Kanpur.
Bhola, 25, a native of Karcha village used to work as a daily-wager in Surat city of Gujarat.
“As per his family members, Bhola was in an alleged relationship with a village girl. After the lockdown, he had returned home and often used to meet his girlfriend at the latter’s home in the absence of her family members,” police said.
On Wednesday, Bhola’s 20-year-old girl friend had again made him a call and asked him to reach her house while all other members of her family were away, the police said.
“Soon, Bhola reached her home. It was while they were present inside a thatched room, girl’s family members locked them from outside and later set afire the thatched structure after pouring kerosene on it,” the police said and added,” the villagers after coming across loud shrieks somehow rescued them and rushed them to district hospital, where Bhola succumbed to wounds”.
The woman too suffered serious burns and after primary treatment was referred to Kanpur.
“An FIR has been registered under relevant sections of IPC following a complaint by man’s family members at Mataundh police station. Searches have been intensified to make the arrest of the girl’s family members possible. A few relatives from the girl’s side have been detained and further investigations are underway in this regard. We are in the process of recording the statement of the girl. The man’s body has been dispatched to mortuary for postmortem examination,” said additional superintendent of police Mahendra Pratap Chauhan.
He added that police have been deployed in the village to avoid any backlash.