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New Delhi: The mystery surrounding the death of a 15-year-old girl from Odisha's Puri district, who was allegedly set on fire, has deepened following her death at AIIMS Delhi on Saturday. The teenager had suffered 75 per cent burns and was initially admitted to AIIMS Bhubaneswar on July 19 before being airlifted to Delhi for advanced treatment.
Initial reports and eyewitness accounts suggested that the girl was abducted by three bike-borne men, doused in kerosene, and set on fire. Her mother also lodged an FIR, naming three unidentified men as the alleged attackers. A local resident who helped save the girl had earlier told NDTV: "The girl was on fire when she came running towards my house. Her hands were tied. She had suffered serious burns. My wife, daughter, and I doused the flames and gave her new clothes. She told me that three men on two bikes forcibly brought her here, poured kerosene, and set her on fire."
However, hours after her death, the Odisha Police stated that their investigation had reached its final stage and claimed "no other person was involved" in the incident, without offering an explanation as to how the girl sustained her burn injuries. The police urged the public to avoid making sensitive comments during this period of mourning.
Adding a new layer to the narrative, the girl's father released an emotional video message claiming that his daughter had taken her own life due to severe mental distress. "I have lost my daughter. She ended her life due to mental stress. The trauma she faced was unbearable. The Odisha government has done a lot for my family. I humbly request everyone not to politicise this tragedy. Please pray for her soul, peace is all I seek for her now," he said.
The father added: "Everyone prayed for my daughter, irrespective of religion. I don’t blame anyone. Everything was fine when she was at home. I don't know how this happened. God has taken her away from us." His brother, the girl's uncle, said the father had "slipped into depression" and was "not in a state to speak". "Seeing him like this is painful. The government, doctors, and hospital staff all did their best. We have no complaint against anyone," he said.
The case had sparked widespread protests and outrage across Odisha, with opposition parties criticising the state government over law and order failures.
Odisha chief minister Mohan Majhi confirmed the girl's death and said the government had done everything possible, including arranging specialised care and airlifting her to Delhi.
Former CM and BJP president Naveen Patnaik, in a post on X, expressed grief: "Deeply saddened and anguished to know that the young girl set on fire in Balanga area of Puri district passed away while undergoing treatment at AIIMS. My condolences and prayers are with the family in this hour of grief. May God give them the strength to bear this irreparable loss."
