Woman tries to set self ablaze on court premises

Berhampur: A 30-year-old woman on Friday tried to set herself on fire on the premises of Ganjam district and sessions court demanding the arrest of some of the people involved in her rape, including the mother of one of the accused.
The incident comes just days after a man tried to attack the sub-divisional judicial magistrate (SDJM) inside the courtroom and has raised a question mark on the security set-up on the court premises, as the woman had managed to carry a bottle of petrol on the premises. She tried to douse herself with petrol but was stopped by an alert constable.
“The woman was detained and investigation is on to ascertain the reason for her self-immolation bid,” Berhampur SP Saravan Vivek M, said. “The woman entered the court premises before proceedings started for the day and tried to douse herself with petrol. Police constable Rashmi Ranjan Das, who was posted there for the SDJM’s security, stopped her with the help of others,” the SP said.
The woman, whose husband works in Hyderabad, claimed she was raped on October 31 by Bapuni Sahu and then again by him and others on November 14. She claimed her husband used to send money for the family’s use in Sahu’s account, who would then hand it over to her. Over time, the two became close and taking advantage of it, Sahu raped her.
Police said based on her complaint, Sahu was arrested, first in October and then again in November, after he and others had allegedly gang raped her following his release on bail in the first incident.
But the woman claimed the others, including Sahu’s mother, were not apprehended, which led her to try and end her life. This is the second incident on the SDJM court premises within a week. On November 28, Bhagaban Sahu (51), an accused who had four criminal cases pending against him, had entered the court and threatened a woman judge with a knife before he was overpowered by lawyers and court staff.