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Updated: Jun 07, 2019 07:24 IST

A 22-year-old woman, who was allegedly raped and set ablaze Wednesday night by a 35-year-old relative, died on Thursday in Bihar’s Bhagalpur district, police said. The accused, a cousin of her sister’s husband, has been arrested, police said.

The victim, a resident of a village under Shivnarianpur subsidiary police station in Kahalgaon subdivision of Bhagalpur district, was set ablaze as she tried to resist the alleged rape, police said.

Confirming the victim’s death, Rajkumar Prasad, station house officer (SHO), Shivnarianpur subsidiary police state, said villagers nabbed the alleged rapist and handed him to the police.

According to the FIR, the accused, a resident of village under Buddhuchak police station of the same subdivision, was visiting the girl’s family to attend a family function in a nearby village on Wednesday.

After the function, the 35-year-old relative decided to stay overnight in her house. In the afternoon, when the other members of her family left just the two of them in the house, he allegedly raped her.

When the victim resisted, he allegedly set her ablaze, police said. On hearing the woman’s pleas for help, neighbours and locals rushed to her house and nabbed the perpetrator.

Police officials said they thrashed him before handing him over to police.

The victim’s father has lodged an FIR in this connection.

A police official, who did not wished to be named, said the victim confirmed the rape and identified the accused in her statement recorded in front of an executive magistrate.

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The victim was initially admitted to Kahalgaon subdivision hospital from where she was referred to the Bhagalpur Medical College Hospital, the official said. “She died there due to her serious burn injuries,” the official said. Police officials said her body has been sent for a post-mortem, a report of which was pending.

“We had registered a case against the accused under IPC Sections 376/307 yesterday. However, since the victim has died, the investigating officer has been directed to incorporate other necessary sections in FIR in light of the victim’s death,” Bhagalpur SSP Ashish Bharati said. “The investigating officials have been directed for early completion of investigation and filing of the charge sheet against accused to ensure speedy trial in the case,” Bharati added.