Indian woman set on fire by alleged rapists in Uttar Pradesh dies

The Unnao woman was set ablaze by a gang of five men on her way to attend a court hearing on her rape

Meanwhile, Indian police will be investigated after killing four men accused of the rape and murder of a vet in Hyderabad

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Bystanders look on as the body of the Unnao rape victim is transported in an ambulance from a hospital in New Delhi to her village. Photo: AFP

Published: 6:15pm, 7 Dec 2019Updated: 9:34pm, 7 Dec 2019

A 23-year-old rape victim set on fire by a gang of men, which included her alleged rapists, has died in a New Delhi hospital, prompting protests from opposition leaders who blamed the ruling party for failing to check incidents of violence against women in India.

The woman was on her way to board a train in Unnao district of northern Uttar Pradesh state to attend a court hearing over her rape when she was doused with kerosene and set on fire on Thursday, according to police. She was airlifted to New Delhi for treatment later that day.

The attack, the second major case of violence against women in the past two weeks, has sparked public outrage in India.

Meanwhile, a top Indian rights group launched an investigation on Saturday into a police shooting of four men suspected of raping and killing a 27-year-old veterinary surgeon near Hyderabad city, after accusations they were gunned down to assuage public anger.

Police said that they shot the four suspects, who had been in custody for a week, early on Friday after they snatched officers’ guns during a re-enactment at the crime scene organised by detectives.

Their deaths prompted celebrations, with hundreds heading to the scene and showering officers with flower petals, as politicians, celebrities and sports stars congratulated police on social media.

The Unnao woman died on Friday after suffering a cardiac arrest, said Shalabh Kumar, the head of burns and plastic department at New Delhi’s Safdarjung Hospital.