Lecturer burning case: Chargesheet within two weeks, says cop

The Special Investigation Team, probing the case where a 25-year-old woman lecturer was burned to death by her stalker at Hinganghat in Maharashtra's Wardha district, would file a charge sheet within two weeks, a senior official said on Tuesday.

The victim, Ankita Pisudde, a resident of Hinganghat town, was set afire allegedly by her stalker Vikesh Nagrale (27) on February 3. She died in a Nagpur hospital, where had been undergoing treatment, on Monday morning.

The SIT team led by Wardha Deputy Superintendent of Police Trupti Jadhav is handling the case.

When contacted, Jadhav told PTI that statements of six witnesses have been recorded and evidences from the crime spot have also been recovered.

The charge sheet in the case would be filed within two weeks, she said.

"The accused is in police remand till February 20 and we will try to file the charge sheet before the end of that period," Jadhav said.

She also dismissed reports in a section of media that the accused was accompanied by a couple of persons at the time of crime.

According to information gathered by the probe team, the accused executed the crime alone and was not accompanied by any person, the official said.

The state government on Monday appointed renowned lawyer Ujjwal Nikam as special public prosecutor in the case.

Making the announcement in Mumbai, Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray assured that the case, which has triggered widespread public anger and outrage, will be tried in a fast- track court to ensure speedy justice to the victim and her family.

During his decades-long career, Nikam (66) has handled several high-profile cases like the 1993 Mumbai serial bomb blasts and the film producer Gulshan Kumar murder case.

The woman was set on fire by the accused, who was later arrested, while she was on way to her college on February 3, police earlier said.

Nagrale and the woman were friends till two years ago when she severed ties with him due to his "irrational behaviour", they said.

Since then, Nagrale, who is married, had been stalking her, the police said.