The Bhagpat rape victim's (left) husband (right) has suffered 50 per cent burns. The Bhagpat rape victim's (left) husband (right) has suffered 50 per cent burns.

In a gruesome incident a police officer in Baghpat on Wednesday allegedly tried to torch the husband of a gang rape victim.

The woman, who was gang-raped by five persons on Monday, said the police officer had demanded that she withdraw the case against the rapists. However, when the demand was rejected, her husband was attacked. He has suffered 50 per cent burn injuries. The police, however, has denied the allegations.

The incident occurred at the victim's residence on Gurana Road in Baraut tehsil of Baghpat. The woman alleged, "Sub-inspector Feroz Akhtar was mounting pressure on me and my husband to accept some money from the rapists and stop pursuing the case. He was also demanding that we stop meeting senior police officers to seek immediate arrest of the rapists," she alleged.

"My statement was already recorded in the case, but Akhtar came to my house on Wednesday, claiming he needed to record my statement again. There was a woman constable with him too. We got suspicious when we saw some of the rapists standing across the road. The officer suggested that my husband write on a paper that no such incident of rape had taken place. But when my husband refused, Feroz got furious and picked up a canister of kerosene, which was kept in a corner, poured it over him and tried to burn him alive," she alleged.

"Then they ran away. Unknown people took my husband to a nearby community health centre. From there, he was taken to the Meerut Medical College. My husband is battling death but the police is still asking me to withdraw the case," she said.

"Whenever I request them to give me a copy of my recorded statement, they use foul language against me and threaten with dire consequences," she alleged.

The woman on Tuesday met Baghpat District Magistrate K. Dhanalaxmi and submitted an application narrating her ordeal. She also alleged that even though the case was handed over to circle officer of the area C.P. Singh, Akhtar was taking interest in it because the accused persons had greased his palm.

However, Baghpat Police Superintendent Jitendra Kumar Shahi refuted the charges.

"We have come to know that he sprinkled kerosene on himself and tried to commit suicide. The police has registered a case against him," Shahi said, adding that the police had even registered cases against the five rape accused soon after receiving the complaint. They have also arrested Kapil Kumar, the woman's brother-in-law, who is one of the accused.