Pilibhit, Aug 12 (IANS): A 25-year-old man here in Uttar Pradesh has been booked for setting a woman on fire after failed rape attempt.

The police lodged a case on Sunday against the man, resident of Harkishnapur village, on charges of attempt to murder his elder brother's wife.

The incident took place on June 11. But as the woman was unable to record her statement due to severe burn injuries, the case was registered two months after the crime.

According to police, the 24-year-old woman stated that after a failed rape bid, her brother-in-law poured kerosene on her and set her on fire.

The woman with over 80 per cent burn injuries has been undergoing treatment at a hospital in Bareilly.

Her brother told reporters: "My sister is improving. She spoke to us on Saturday, for the first time after she received burn injuries and narrated the incident."

Her brother, a resident of Hafizganj town, in his written complaint to the Neuria police station stated: "Since her marriage in May 2016, my sister was apprehensive of her brother-in-law's intentions and when she informed her husband, he rebuked her. With the support of his family members, her brother-in-law poured kerosene on her and set her afire after a failed rape bid."

Neuria police station SHO Birja Ram said the accused was booked under section 307 (attempt to murder) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), and would be arrested soon.