Odisha Horror: Miscreants set minor girl on fire in Puri, shifted to Bhubaneswar with severe injuries
The victim, who was delivering books, was ambushed and set ablaze. Police are investigating, with no arrests yet made, and the motive is unclear.
A 16-year-old Plus II student was allegedly set on fire by three unidentified youths in a broad daylight attack on Saturday morning. The brazen incident happened around 8:30 AM in the Bayabar area of Nimapada Tehsil, Puri district, leaving the minor girl with critical burn injuries across her hands, legs, and parts of her torso.
According to preliminary reports, the victim was on her way to a friend's house to deliver books when she was intercepted. As she travelled a desolate stretch along the Bhargavi River road, three unknown attackers reportedly ambushed her.
Recounting the scene, eyewitnesses said that the trio allegedly lifted the girl, set her ablaze, and then vanished from the spot, leaving her screaming in pain, OdishaTV reported.
Alerted by her cries and the flames, locals rushed to help her and doused the flames. She was immediately transported to Pipili CHC for initial treatment before being urgently referred to the Capital Hospital in Bhubaneswar, given the severe nature of her injuries.
The family has ruled out any personal enmity or a 'love-revenge' angle in the case. As of the latest reports, the identities of the attackers remain unknown. The police are yet to make any arrests in the crime incident, which took place around 1.5 kilometres from the Balanga police station.
This brutal attack comes unsettlingly soon after another tragic incident in Balasore, where a female student from Fakir Mohan College sustained over 90% burn injuries after allegedly setting herself on fire in front of her college principal's chamber on July 12th. That student, reportedly driven to the extreme step by prolonged harassment, tragically succumbed to her injuries while undergoing treatment.