Crime Branch to probe brutal attack on Kalahandi minor girl

Cuttack/Bhawanipatana: The Crime Branch today took charge of investigation into the case minor girl of Kalahanadi who was set on fire by two youths for protesting eve-teasing.

A four-member team led by a lady inspector has been formed which will leave for Narla of Kalhandi district tomorrow.

Six including two prime accused have been arrested in the case. The minor accused, Shyama Sahoo, was produced before the Juvenile Justice board while others were forwarded to sessions court, additional SP Akshya Kumar Das said.

On the other hand the vicitm girl who sustained 90 per cent burns is struggling for life at Ispat General Hospital (IGH) at Rourkela. "She needs better treatment as she is in a very critical condition. The government is bearing the medical expense. We lack money to provide her best treatment", father of the victim said.

The girl is a student of TRW School at Madhupur under Lanjigarh block. She had gone to a nearby stream to attend nature's call on Wednesday afternoon when two youths, identified as Bulu Das and Shyama Sahoo of the same village, had passed lewd comments at her.

The girl had protested and informed the matter to her parents. Her mother then had cautioned the youths for the act.

Enraged by her mother's warning, the two youths had abused the girl's father in presence of others. Later in the evening when the girl was alone in her house, they trespassed and allegedly set her on fire after dousing her with kerosene oil, police sources said.

Hearing the girl's screams, local people rescued her and rushed her to a hospital.