Alleged attack in Qureshipur leaves victim with 50% burns
FARIDABAD: A 23-year-old woman was allegedly scalded with boiling water and kept confined in a room for several days by a couple in Qureshipur village, police said on Thursday. The victim, identified as Preeti, sustained burns over about 50 per cent of her body and was shifted from a local hospital to Safdarjung Hospital in Delhi for further treatment, officers said.
The incident is said to have occurred in the early hours of August 16. According to the complaint registered at Dhauj police station, the woman had been staying in the couple's house for around two months after separating from her husband, Rohit, who is a resident of Qureshipur. The complainant named the accused as Dharmendra and his wife Lalita.
- Victim: Preeti, 23, native of Tikka Tola, Shahapur in Bihar.
- Accused: Dharmendra (absconding) and Lalita (arrested); FIR lodged at Dhauj police station.
- Medical status: Initial treatment at BK Hospital; referred to Safdarjung Hospital with severe burns.
- Allegations: Victim says she was scalded with boiling water, kept locked inside a room for days and denied medical aid; police said they will record her statement when her condition allows.
A senior police officer at Dhauj station said an FIR has been registered against the accused and that Lalita has been arrested. The officer added that Dharmendra was absconding and police teams were searching for him. He said a team would visit the hospital to record the victim's statement once she is able to give it.
“They should be hanged. They showed no mercy and locked me inside a room and didn’t call a doctor even when I was in severe burn pain,”
The quotation above is from the victim as reported by her maternal uncle, who with police opened the locked room and rescued her three days after the alleged attack. The uncle, identified as Rahul, told police he lives around one kilometre from the house where she was held and that he had to call the 112 helpline to secure assistance.
Allegations of a proposed marriage arrangement under scrutiny
Media accounts state the victim alleged the couple had tried to force her into a marriage with a 65-year-old man in exchange for a payment of Rs 3 lakh. However, Dhauj police said they had not recorded the victim’s formal statement and had not confirmed that claim; officers noted that further action would follow after the statement is recorded.
The victim's family provided background details to police: Preeti married Rohit about two years ago and separated from him approximately two months before the incident. Police sources said the couple accused in the FIR live opposite Preeti's house and that their three children were present in the home at the time of the alleged attack.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Incident date | 16 August (alleged) |
| Rescue | Three days later; room opened by uncle and police |
| Injury | Approximately 50% burns; chest and hands severely blistered |
Police said Preeti was first treated at BK Hospital in Faridabad and then referred to Safdarjung Hospital in Delhi because of the seriousness of her injuries. A senior officer at Dhauj police station confirmed that investigators are questioning Lalita and that efforts are continuing to locate Dharmendra.
Officials emphasised that the formal statement of the victim remains to be recorded by investigators, and that further details about motive and the precise sequence of events would be established during the probe and after medical officials clear the patient to give testimony.
The registration of the FIR and the arrest of Lalita were steps police reported taking immediately after the complaint was received. Investigating teams are expected to gather medical reports, forensic evidence and witness statements as part of the ongoing inquiry.
