A dalit woman, who had come to lodge a complaint, allegedly immolated herself in a police station premises in Aurangabad district.
According to police, Mandabai Hiwarale had come to the MIDC police station on Monday to lodge a complaint. The police officer in charge reportedly ordered his subordinates to get her out of there.
Angered by this, Mandabai allegedly poured kerosene on her body and set herself ablaze in the police station premises, police said.
She was immediately taken to the government medical college hospital where she succumbed to 92 per cent burn injuries.
Taking serious note of the incident, Aurangabad Police Commissioner Ramrao Wagh suspended the concerned police officer and asked the Assistant Police Commissioner (Crime Branch) to investigate the incident.
The incident rocked the Maharashtra legislative assembly on Tuesday with the lower house witnessing two adjournments over the issue.
The House was adjourned for 25 minutes after the opposition Shiv Sena-BJP combine insisted on an adjournment motion.
BJP leader Gopinath Munde, who had visited the site on Monday, raised the issue soon after Question Hour. Leader of the Opposition Narayan Rane and Munde pressed for an adjournment motion saying the matter was grave in nature.
Home Minister R R Patil denied policemen had set fire to Hiwarale. She died of burn injuries outside the police station premises, he said.
However, the opposition was not satisfied with the reply and the House witnessed pandemonium and was adjourned twice.
Later when the lower house reassembled, Speaker Arun Gujrathi accepted the adjournment motion and announced the House would take up the issue for discussion later in the day.
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