Amethi women, 2 others booked in Lucknow self-immolation case

Lucknow, July 18 (IANS) A day after a woman and her daughter from Amethi set themselves afire in front of the Uttar Pradesh Vidhan Sabha here, police on Saturday said that the duo were among the four persons booked in the case, including two leaders of the MIM and the Congress on the charge of “instigating” them to immolate themselves.

Three police officials were also suspended on the charge of negligence in duty and departmental action initiated against them even as one accused was arrested, a senior police officer said.

Commenting on the immolation incident, Lucknow Police Commissioner Sujeet Pandey said that it was a result of a “criminal conspiracy” wherein some people played a key role in instigating the women.

“We have registered the FIR against four people, including Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (MIM) leader Kadir Khan and Congress leader Anoop Patel,” the Commissioner said. He said that police had arrested Kadir Khan.

The FIR claimed that Kadir and Anoop Patel were booked for egging on the women to immolate themselves if they wished their problem to be heard by authorities.

The woman and her daughter set themselves on fire in front of the Vidhan Sabha on Friday evening over alleged police inaction in a land dispute case in Amethi. The women — Gudiya and Sophia — sustained severe burn injuries and were admitted to the Civil Hospital where their condition is said to be “critical”.

A video of the incident went viral on the social media.

Condemning the incident, Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati tweeted: “Attempt by mother-daughter duo to immolate themselves in front of the Chief Minister’s office over a land dispute is sad. But if she was encouraged to do so to fulfil political interest, then it is a serious criminal case, which should be investigated properly. The guilty should be punished severely.”

–IANS

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