Woman set ablaze for flouting voting 'fatwa'

Mumbai: In a shocking incident, a woman, who allegedly flouted a local voting 'fatwa', was assaulted and set on fire in Yevla town in Maharashtra two days ago, police said on Friday. The incident occurred in Babulgaon village after the 60-year-old victim, Jebubai Bawale, exercised her franchise at a nearby polling station, a police official said.

 On way to the polling booth, some political activists, whose political affiliation the police are probing, reportedly pressurised her to vote for a particular candidate and kept a watch on her. After she had cast her vote, the activists somehow came to know that she had not pressed the button opposite their candidate's name. Angered, they confronted her and sought an explanation from her for flouting their 'fatwa'.

 Bawale pleaded with them that since her eyesight was poor, she may have inadvertently pressed the wrong button. They refused to accept her version and brutally slapped and assaulted her. One of the activists brought a can full of kerosene which they poured on her and set her ablaze before fleeing. She was rushed to the district hospital with over 70 per cent burn injuries and then shifted to a private hospital where she is now battling for life, Yevla police said. Swinging into action, police managed to nab three persons - Ashok S Pornale and his brother Pandurang S. Pornale and Nandkishore Gorakh - in connection with the incident and were investigating further.