VILLUPURAM/PUDUCHERRY:After fighting for her life for four days with grievous burn injuries she suffered when her stalker set himself afire and hugged her, a 17-year-old girl from Villupuram finally succumbed to her injuries at the hospital in Puducherry on Tuesday night.
The death created tension in Villupuram after her kin blocked the Villupuram-Tirukoilur road demanding proper inquiry.
Villupuram district SP Narendran Nayar spoke to the family members and pacified them, following which the protest was withdrawn. Funeral took place on Wednesday with police protection under the supervision of the SP, ADSP Rajarajan, DSPs Surulirajan, Veemarajan, Geetha and Silambarasan.
A Naveena of V Palayam village suffered 90 per cent burns after a spurned suitor, Senthil, barged into her home on Saturday afternoon, poured petrol on himself and her, and set fire. By the time neighbours rushed to her aid, both had suffered grievous injuries – he died soon afterwards, while she was battling for her life at JIPMER.
Once a class 12 student of a government school in Villupuram, Naveena used to commute to school on a private bus. Senthil (30) was the driver of the bus. Smitten by her, he approached her, but she reportedly rejected him. He allegedly began stalking her. When her parents came to know about it, they stopped sending her to the school. Her maternal uncle Rajasekharan said, Senthil continued to harass the girl for over a year and half.
The matter came to public attention after Senthil lost an arm and a leg. After being discharged from the hospital, he claimed that it was her relatives who cut his limbs for courting a Vanniyar girl. He then filed a police complaint seeking action against the family of the girl for allegedly pushing him under the train. However, after an inquiry, the police deemed the complaint to be false and instead arrested him. Senthil was lodged behind bars, but came out on bail.
Her family alleged that Senthil continued to harass even after this. Sources said he had visited her house few days ago with a marriage proposal. The family rejected it, and asked him not to trouble them. Police said, last year they had filed a case against Senthil, for attacking Naveena’s uncle.
Meanwhile, PMK leader S Ramadoss, a key leader of the Vanniyar community, sought strict action against everyone who are alleged to have played a role in the matter. He demanded that August 3 should be celebrated as National School Going Girls’ Safety Day. Naveena’s family should be given a solatium of `1 crore, Ramadoss urged the State government.