It has now emerged that the rape victim, who was set ablaze in Unnao on Thursday had been promised marriage by the same man who raped her earlier this year.
The main accused, Shivam Trivedi, had signed a marriage agreement in January last year and then solemnized the marriage with the victim in December 2018.
"We declare that we have solemnized our marriage in a temple on January 15, 2018, according to Hindu traditions with our free will. We are living with each other as wife and husband. We are signing this agreement to avoid any legal hindrance," the agreement read.
Sources said that the family of the accused, however, had refused to accept the woman as she belonged to a lower caste.
This made the woman file a rape case against her 'husband'.
Lawyer S. N. Maurya, who represented the victim in the rape case, said that Shivam was threatening the woman to withdraw the case and was forcing for a compromise.
The woman was set on fire by four men, including the rape accused, when she was on her way to the court in Rae Bareli on Thursday morning.
She sustained more than 90 per cent injuries and was rushed to a government hospital and then shifted to the civil hospital in Lucknow. She was later airlifted to Delhi's Safdarjung hospital where she succumbed to injuries on Friday night.
Jiten accuses RO of West Parliamentary seat for being ‘biased’ in election process; writes ECI
The Leader of Opposition and also the CPI(M) state secretary Jitendra Chaudhury on Thursday accused the Returning Officer of the West Parliamentary constituency of the Lok Sabha Dr Vishal Kumar over his ‘discriminatory’ attitude towards the opposition parties.
MHA extends AFSPA in parts of Arunachal and Nagaland for 6 more months
The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has extended the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) in certain districts of Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh for another six months with effect from April 1, officials said on Thursday.
Arunachal was, is, and will remain an integral part of India: MEA
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Thursday that China's repetitive claims on Arunachal Pradesh will not change India's position, and the northeastern state will remain an integral and inalienable part of India.
‘To browbeat and bully others is vintage Congress culture', says PM Modi on lawyers’ letter to CJI
Reacting to an open letter to the Chief Justice of India, D.Y. Chandrachud, which was signed by over 600 advocates on Thursday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that to "browbeat and bully others is the vintage culture of the Congress".
'Unacceptable, unwarranted': India again slams US' remarks on Arvind Kejriwal
Calling the US State Department's remarks on the arrest of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal "unwarranted", India on Thursday said that any such external imputation on the electoral and legal process is completely unacceptable.
Excise policy case: Delhi court extends CM Kejriwal's ED custody till April 1
CM Kejriwal, whose alleged role in the excise policy scam is being probed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED), was produced before Special Judge Kaweri Baweja of the Rouse Avenue Court on the expiry of his six-day ED remand on Thursday.
CM not above law, says ED as Kejriwal questions rationale behind his arrest
"The case has been going on for two years. The case was filed on August 17. No court has found me guilty. There are no charges against me nor has any case been filed against me. But I have been arrested," he said.
Ukrainian FM arrives in India to build on talks between PM Modi, Volodymyr Zelenskyy
In a first high-level visit by a Ukrainian leader since the start of hostilities with Russia in 2022, Kuleba began his two-day official visit at the invitation of External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar.