DNA Special: Jharkhand immolation murder case brings back focus on increasing love affair crimes in India

A horrific incident, which took place in Jharkhand’s Dumka on August 23, left the entire nation in shock. A 19-year-old stalker could not deal with the rejection of advancements to a Class 12 girl and burnt her to death. 

Ankita was fast sleeping in her house when the accused -- Shahrukh Hussain -- poured petrol on her from the window and set her on fire. 

Ankita was rushed to a nearby hospital with nearly 90 percent burns. When the condition worsened, she was referred to RIIMS in Ranchi. After fighting for life and death for 5 days, Ankita died during treatment on August 28. 

Now a statement of Ankita has emerged in which she is narrating her ordeal. This can be termed as her dying declaration.

Ankita had made a video before death in which she told that Shahrukh had threatened to kill her and her family again even after serving the jail term. In her last statement, Ankita has clearly demanded strict punishment to the accused Shahrukh.

Shahrukh was harassing Ankita for two years. In the beginning, neither Ankita took it seriously nor did her family. But when Shahrukh started troubling more, Ankita told her father after which went to the police.

Under pressure from the police, Shahrukh's elder brother apologised and promised Ankita and her family that Shahrukh would not do it again. But after remaining calm for a few days, Shahrukh again started harassing her.

Ankita had told in her statement that for the last 10-15 days, Shahrukh was following her while going to school or tuition. Shahrukh had also found out Ankita's mobile phone number from somewhere and by calling frequently, he was pressurising Ankita to be friends with him.

Ankita had told in a statement to the police that on the night of August 22, Shahrukh had also threatened her over the phone that if she did not listen to him, he would kill her and her family.

According to NCRB, love is the fourth biggest reason for murder in India after mutual disputes, personal enmity, illicit relations. Disputes in love affairs are the third biggest cause of murder in metro cities.

In the year 2020, there were 1443 murders due to love affairs which increased to 1566 in 2021. One-sided love was also the reason for 13.4 percent of kidnappings in the year 2020.

Murders due to love affair increased by 28 percent from 2001 to 2017. 386 cases of acid attacks on women were registered in the country from 2018 to 2020. According to a report, 78 percent of acid attacks are the result of one-sided love.