In an interview with the Indian Express, the girl's mother said the family had been warned they would be killed if they did not back down. "They have been threatening to kill us, burn down our ancestral home and stone my daughter to death if we do not withdraw the rape case. Even the village panchayat (council), including the sarpanch (leader), is in favour of the accused and is asking the family to settle the matter," she was quoted as saying.