Labourer molested, set on fire

A 45-year-old woman labourer was allegedly sexually assaulted and set on fire by the owner of a brick kiln and his aide at Khurja in Bulandshahr district Wednesday morning.

Aas Mohammed alias Aasu of Basendua village was arrested Thursday, while his aide is absconding. The woman has been shifted to a Meerut hospital with over 90 per cent burns. A sub-inspector, who allegedly claimed the woman suffered the injuries while cooking, was suspended Friday “for providing misleading information”.

“However, when the tehsildar was called by doctors to record her dying declaration, she said brick kiln owner  molested and tried to rape her and set her on fire when she resisted,” said Umesh Kumar Singh, Bulandshahr SSP.