Man sets himself on fire to protest release of wife's rapist from prison

Man accuses police of taking bribe to release suspect

Pakistani high-profile gang rape victim Mukhtaran Mai (RIZWAN TABASSUM/AFP/Getty Images))

A man died after setting himself on fire after police freed the man who had allegedly raped his wife.

Safdar Hussain, 23, was taken to hospital in Faisalabad, Pakistan, with burn injuries on 70 per cent of his body.

Mr Hussain set himself on fire after police released the man accused of robbing and gang-raping his wife in Jhang, The Express Tribune reports.

After his body was returned to his village, local residents gathered to protest, setting tyres on fire and suspending traffic for several hours.

Mr Hussain had claimed police released the suspect after taking a bribe from him.

An anonymous police official told The Express Tribune Mr Hussain was thrown out of the police station after asking them to take action against the officer who had allegedly taken the bribe.

“In sheer frustration, Safdar Hussain sprinkled petrol on his body and set himself on fire outside the office," he added.

An inquiry is being conducted against the officers on charges of negligence.

A relative of the victim told the paper the three accused barged into Mr Hussain's house and began stealing valuables at gunpoint before sexually assaulting his wife.