HYDERABAD, March 17: A woman who received injuries when an ASI of Mithi and his servant tried to burn her alive on March 13 is in critical condition at the Liaquat Medical University Hospital (LMUH), Hyderabad.

ASI Qadir Bux and his servant Mengho Bheel had allegedly sprinkled kerosene on the woman, Mohni, wife of Shewak Ram, in the house of Mengho Bheel but her life was saved by women present in the house by extinguishing the fire. Mohni received injuries on her abdomen and face.

Eshwar, the younger brother of Mohni, told Dawn the ASI had borrowed Rs200,000 in instalments from the husband of Mohni and when she demanded payment of the amount, the ASI asked her to come to the house of Mengho Bheel and promised to pay the money there.

He said when Mohni went to the house, the ASI and Mengho Bheel set her ablaze after sprinkling kerosene on her clothes.

Thereafter, he said, both the accused ran away and Mohni was saved by the women of the house by extinguishing the fire. The house was also gutted.

Eshwar said he took his sister to a Mithi hospital where she was admitted. She was shifted to the Hyderabad hospital as her condition deteriorated, he added.

He said he went to the police station to lodge a complaint against the ASI and Mengho Bheel but he came to know there that the ASI had already registered an FIR against his sister for trying to commit suicide and torching the house of Mengho Bheel.

Mohni, who could hardly speak, told Dawn the ASI had promised to return the borrowed money in Mangho Bheel’s house but when she went there the ASI and Mengho Bheel set her on fire.

She said the ASI had also snatched the copy, in which details of loan were written, and burnt it.

She appealed to authorities concerned for justice.