Dhenkanal: In a shocking incident, a 17-year-old minor girl committed suicide by allegedly setting herself ablaze on Sunday morning at Bhagbanpur village under Dhenkanal Town Police Station.
The deceased’s family members said fearing public shame, the minor girl, who was raped on Saturday night, set herself on fire after pouring kerosene on her body.
Dhenkanal ASP Anil Kumar Dash, who reached the spot, said, “An investigation is on. As understood from preliminary probe, the minor girl went outside her house late in the night when a youth in the neighbour allegedly took her with him. However, family members brought the minor girl back home after a search.”
Dash further stated, “In the morning, when no one at home, the minor girl burnt herself after pouring kerosene on her. The deceased’s mother is alleging the youth in neighbour raped her last night,” adding that a DSP rank officer is probing the case.
Meanwhile, the minor girl’s mother Pramila Behera said, “When a lawyer under whom one of my borther-in-law is working as a driver asked us to lodge a police complaint and we followed the suggestion, the accused came to us and gave an undertaking saying that he will not repeat the wrong act. If he does so, we will take the legal course. Then my husband, brother-in-law and two daughters went for work. I also went outside for some work. In the meantime, she set herself ablaze finding herself alone at home.”
Behera added, “My daughter burnt herself fearing shame for her father, uncle and sisters.”
Sources said families of the rape accused and victim had signed on a compromise note which the accused himself submitted at the police station.
The raped minor girl was mentally depressed as she told her sisters, the sources added.