15-year-old Odisha girl, set on fire by miscreants, dies
The girl, who had sustained 70 per cent burn injuries, was airlifted to AIIMS Delhi from AIIMS Bhubaneswar last month.
Fifteen-year-old girl from Odisha's Puri district, who was allegedly set on fire by some miscreants last month, has lost her life, announced Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Saturday evening.
The girl, who had sustained 70 per cent burn injuries, was airlifted to AIIMS Delhi from AIIMS Bhubaneswar last month.
"I am deeply shocked to hear the news of the death of the girl from the Balanga area," said Majhi in an 'X' post. "Despite all the efforts of the government and the round-the-clock endeavours of specialist medical team at AIIMS Delhi, her life could not be saved. I pray for the eternal peace of the girl's soul and pray before God to grant strength to her family to bear this irreparable loss."
What had happened?
On July 19, the girl was set ablaze by three miscreants. The girl was returning from her friend's house when the incident took place on the banks of the Bhargabi river near Bayabar village. She was admitted to the AIIMS Bhubaneswar, but on July 20, was airlifted to Delhi as her condition was critical.
Following the incident, the police constituted a team and recorded her statement. A police official told news agency PTI that the girl was intercepted by three bike-borne miscreants, who forcibly took her to the banks of Bhargabi river and set her on fire after pouring an inflammable substance on her.
The incident, the official said, took place around 1.5 km from the girl's house at Nuagopalpur Bustee.
Oppn bashes Odisha govt
Following the incident, the opposition launched a scathing attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party-led Odisha government for the deteriorating law and order situation in the state. Former CM and Biju Janata Dal (BJD) president Naveen Patnaik had said that such incidents are regularly happening in the state, and they highlight the "systemic failure" of the government.
Congress also lashed out at the Majhi government, saying women are not safe in the state. Party's state unit chief Bhakta Charan Das had said that the criminals no longer fear the government and the police in Odisha.
Meanwhile, the Trinamool Congress (TMC) had said that Odisha has become a breeding ground for criminals under the BJP rule.
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