Jilted student pours petrol on minor girl; sets her on fire in hostel bathroom

Koraput: In a shocking incident, a boy set his girl classmate on fire after she turned down his love proposal. After the incident, which happened on Friday, the victim was rushed to a nearby hospital with severe burn injuries and has subsequently been transferred to MKCG hospital, while the accused boy is absconding. Both the accused and victim are students of a private engineering college in Similiguda.

As per reports, the boy was allegedly in love with his classmate. On Friday at around 12 noon, the boy went to meet the girl to her hostel. After a few minutes of interaction, the boy allegedly poured petrol on the girl, who ran and locked her inside the bathroom. But the accused dropped a burning piece of paper inside the bathroom setting her on fire.

As per one eye witness, "When the boy was lighting the paper, with help of a lighter, I ran outside the hostel seeking help. When I returned, the girl was already on fire and yelling."

"The accused boy threatened my daughter to burn and kill her as she had denied his proposal," the victim's father said.

The hostel owner said, "I was not present at the hostel when the incident happened, but as per other hostel inmates, the boy from Nandapur poured petrol on the girl and set her on fire."

Some locals rescued the girl and rushed her to Lakshman Nayak Hospital. Later on the victim was shifted to MKCG hospital as her condition deteriorated. The victim girl has suffered around 54% burns, informed sources.

The local police registered a case and have intensified probe into the matter to trace the absconding accused.

"We have recorded the statements of the victim and based on her reports we are continuing raids at different places since yesterday. We will soon arrest the accused," said Niranjan Behera, Koraput SDPO.

Social activist Namrata Chaddha raised concerns on security of girls in hostels and said, "If a boy could easily enter the girl's hostel and set the girl on fire, it raises serious questions on safety and security arrangements at such places. We need to be very careful."