An alleged gang-rape victim and her husband made self-immolation bid in front of Lok Bhawan here on Thursday.

The couple said that they tried to end their lives as the Unnao police were not initiating action against the accused.

The security force present at the spot rescued both but the husband received minor burn injuries and was admitted to SPM Hospital (Civil Hospital).

Further investigations are on.

Additional Superintendent of Police in Unnao, Vinod Kumar Pandey, denied allegations of police inaction and claimed that a case had been registered and they were trying to record the statement of the victim woman before the magistrate under Section 164 of the Criminal Procedure Code.

However, he said that the complainant and the accused had old an dispute and had lodged reports against each other several times earlier also.

Pandey said that directions had been given to the investigating officer to take action according to evidences.

According to reports, a woman hailing from Morawa locality of Unnao was working in the fields on January 9 last when three local goons came and held her husband at gunpoint. They later raped the woman one by one and escaped after threatening the couple with dire consequences.

The victim claimed that she handed over her complaint to the local police but they took no action.

Upset with police inaction, the couple came to the state capital on Thursday and poured kerosene on themselves tried to set themselves ablaze in front of Lok Bhawan.

The clothes of the woman’s husband caught fire before the security personnel could rescue them.