An Adivasi woman is in a critical condition after being set on fire by a group of people in Madhya Pradesh’s Guna district because of a land dispute, the police said on Sunday, the Hindustan Times reported.
The incident took place on Saturday afternoon when the woman, identified as Rampyari Bai, objected to the accused person’s move to plough a six bigha land in Dhanoria village of Bamori that her family says was handed over to them by the local administration in May, according to The Hindu.
Guna Superintendent of Police Pankaj Shrivastava said five persons, including two women, have been arrested. They have been identified as Pratap Dhakad, Hanumat Dhakad, Shyam Dhakad, Avanti Bai and Sudama Bai. All of them have been booked for attempt to murder and under sections of the Scheduled Castes/Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
A video, purportedly shot by the accused persons, shows Bai crying in pain after they allegedly poured diesel and set her ablaze.
The woman’s husband, Arjun Saharia, told the police that he found Bai lying in their farm with severe burn injuries when he reached there on Saturday. He added that he saw Pratap Dhakad, Hanumat Dhakad and Shyam Dhakad escaping from the scene in a tractor along with their family members.
A week before the incident, Saharia said that his family had sought protection from the police, citing threats from the accused persons, The Hindu reported. However, the police took no action.
The woman’s husband also claimed that he had been attacked by the same group of people earlier and a first information report was lodged.
The woman was referred to a hospital in Bhopal for treatment following the incident.
Opposition leaders criticised the Shivraj Singh Chouhan-led Bharatiya Janata Party government for his “hostile attitude” towards the Adivasis. “When will the tribal community in the state be safe?” former Chief Minister Kamal Nath asked.
Congress leader Jairam Ramesh wrote on Twitter, “A party that puts up Draupadi Murmu for the Presidential election allows such a terrible atrocity on a tribal woman. Shameful.”
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