Teenage girl set ablaze in Puri; condition critical
Miscreants pour petrol on 15-year-old in Balanga; Deputy CM Pravati Parida assures free treatment at AIIMS Bhubaneswar and swift arrests
A teenage girl was allegedly set ablaze by miscreants in the Puri district of Odisha on Saturday (July 19). The incident comes days after a college student self-immolated herself in Balasore district over alleged inaction on her complaint of sexual harassment against a professor.
The 15-year-old girl was rushed to AIIMS Bhubaneswar in a critical condition.
Deputy CM confirms
Confirming the incident on X, Deputy Chief Minister Pravati Parida, who is in charge of the Women and Child Development Department, said that the crime was perpetrated by some miscreants at Balanga in Puri district.
The Deputy Chief Minister further revealed that the miscreants poured petrol on her and set her ablaze.
"I am saddened and shocked to hear the news that some miscreants at Balanga in Puri district poured petrol on a fifteen-year-old girl on the road and set her on fire,” she said.
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‘Govt to pay for treatment’
She also said that all arrangements were made for the girl’s treatment at AIIMS Bhubaneswar, adding that the state government will pay for her treatment. The Deputy Chief Minister also said that police had been instructed to arrest the culprits immediately.
"The girl has been immediately shifted to AIIMS Bhubaneswar, and all arrangements are being made for her treatment. All the expenses of the treatment will be borne by the government. The police administration has been directed to arrest the culprits immediately and take strict action," the deputy chief minister said.
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‘Going to friend’s house’
A PTI report quoted eyewitnesses as saying that the incident took place while she was going to her friend's house. The report further stated that the miscreants fled from the spot after committing the crime.
Local doused the fire and rushed her to the hospital. Police have reached the village and started an investigation into the matter.
The incident comes close on the heels of self-immolation by a 20-year-old student of the Fakir Mohan (Autonomous) college over alleged inaction on her complaint of sexual harassment against a professor.
She set herself ablaze on July 12 and succumbed to injuries at AIIMS Bhubaneswar on the night of July 14. While an assistant professor was arrested in the case, the University Grants Commission (UGC) has set up a fact-finding team to investigate the circumstances that led to the incident. The UGC team visited Balasore on Friday.
What victim's cousin said
Speaking to ANI, the victim’s cousin brother said that at around 8.30 am, she was going to her friend’s house, adding that she was abducted midway by the miscreants who took him to a riverside and set her ablaze.
“They clothed her and called us up. I reached there, received her and took her to hthe ospital; they referred her to AIIMS. We filed a Police complaint, investigation is underway,” he said.
“We demand the death penalty for the culprits...We don't know who the accused are. She saw them, and she would be able to speak better. Doctors have said that she suffered 70% burns. They have told us that she is critical, but we should be patient,” he added.
(With agency inputs)