Berhampur (Odisha): A woman ration dealer, accused of committing irregularities in distribution of items, was burnt to death allegedly by four men near Rambha village in Ganjam district, police said today.
Pranati Nayak was attacked by the accused, who came on two motorbikes, while she was returning alone from her elder sister`s place to her rented house near Panthaniwas at Rambha last evening.
There was a power cut in the area when the assailants stabbed her with sharp-edged weapons and poured petrol before setting her ablaze, Sub-divisional Police Officer (SDPO), Chhatrapur, Alekh Chandra Pahi said.
Screaming for help, she was running on the main road towards her house with her body on flames and local people held her and informed the police, Pahi said.
She was first admitted in MKCG Medical College Hospital here and later shifted to a private hospital at Vishakapatnam in adjoining Andhra Pradesh where she succumbed to the critical burn injuries this afternoon, he said.
The victim had named the four persons in her dying statement before the police and all of them were arrested.
With her CRPF jawan husband posted elsewhere, the woman, who owned a ration shop, had earlier received threats from the assailants accusing her of committing irregularities in distribution of ration when cyclone Phailin hit the district, but no complaint was filed in this connection, he said.
