A 17-year-old girl succumbed to severe burn injuries in Patna late Thursday night, nearly a week after she was allegedly set on fire by a young man following a dispute, police have said.
A case has been registered on the basis of the victim’s statement, in the incident that occurred on January 17 in the Gopalpur police station area, and further investigation is underway, Patna Sadar SDPO-2 Ranjan Kumar toldThe Indian Express,adding that the accused surrendered before a court on January 23.
According to police, the victim alleged that a man from the same village intercepted her on the road and insisted on speaking to her.
“Before her death, she had claimed that on the day of the incident, the accused stopped her and tried to talk to her. When she resisted, he allegedly set her ablaze,” the SDPO said.
The officer added that although the incident took place on the evening of January 17, the family informed the local police station nearly 24 hours later.
“On January 18, the victim’s mother complained at Gopalpur police station, alleging that her daughter had been set on fire by a young man, leaving her critically injured.”
Following the registration of the FIR, police reached the spot and collected evidence with the help of a forensic science laboratory (FSL) team.
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“We are investigating the incident from all angles to establish the sequence of events and the motive,” the SDPO said.
Based on preliminary investigation, police suspect that the victim and the accused were known to each other and had been in contact earlier, though officials said the exact nature of their relationship would become clear only after the investigation is completed.
The victim, a Class 10 student, was undergoing treatment at Nalanda Medical College and Hospital (NMCH), where she died after six days. “She had sustained around 72% burn injuries,” the SDPO said.
Sources said the girl had been living at her maternal grandmother’s house in Bairiya for her studies and later shifted with her family to a nearby rented accommodation.
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Local sources claimed that the accused allegedly poured petrol on her on Bairiya Main Road and set her on fire using a matchstick. The victim had reportedly screamed for help before losing consciousness, following which local residents and family members rushed her to hospital following the incident, the source said.
After her death, police took custody of the body and sent it to NMCH for a post-mortem examination.
