A 15-year-old girl sustained critical injuries after she was set on fire by three unidentified assailants in Odisha’s Puri district on Saturday morning while she was on her way to a friend’s house.
She was initially rushed to the Pipili hospital in Puri and has subsequently been moved to AIIMS, Bhubaneswar. Hospital sources said she sustained over 40% burn injuries and that her condition is stable.
According to locals, the incident took place at around 8.30 am at a location that comes under the jurisdiction of Balanga police station. The assailants allegedly followed her to an isolated stretch on the Bhargavi river bank, where they set her on fire before fleeing the scene. Local residents rushed to the spot after hearing her screams and took her to the nearest hospital.
Police sources said the motive behind the attack is not yet clear. Senior police officers of Puri district rushed to the spot and have started an investigation into the matter from multiple angles, sources said.
Expressing concern over the incident, Odisha Deputy Chief Minister Pravati Parida said police have been asked to immediately arrest the culprits and take stringent action against them. Parida said arrangements were being made to provide the best possible treatment to the girl and that the state government would bear all medical expenses.
The incident comes just days after a student of a leading government college died after setting herself on fire after her complaints alleging sexual harassment by a professor were ignored. It has put a spotlight on the safety of girls in the state and triggered nationwide outrage.
