BHUBANESWAR: The 15-year-old girl who was set on fire by unidentified youths in Puri's Balanga on July 19 succumbed to her injuries at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi on Saturday.
Minutes later, the Odisha police claimed that its investigation had found no role of any other person in the incident.
“According to the investigation conducted so far, it is clear that no other person is involved. Therefore, we request everyone not to make any sensitive comments regarding this matter during this tragic moment,” a post on the State Police’s X handle said.
The girl had sustained 75 per cent burns and was initially admitted to AIIMS-Bhubaneswar. She was later airlifted to AIIMS-New Delhi and admitted to the Department of Burns and Plastic Surgery a day after the incident.
She underwent surgery for the management of deep burns on July 23. However, she remained on oxygen support and her condition continued to be critical.
In a post on X, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi expressed shock over the development. “I am deeply shocked by the death of the Balanga incident victim. Despite all the efforts of the government and the round-the-clock endeavours of the specialist medical team at AIIMS-New Delhi, her life could not be saved,” he said.
While the police have made no arrests in the case, they have also investigated the matter from the suicide angle. “We are deeply saddened to hear the news of the death of the victim girl in the Balangir incident. The police have conducted the investigation with utmost sincerity. The investigation has reached its final stage. According to the investigation conducted so far, it is clear that no other person is involved,” the X post further stated.
On July 19, the girl was on her way to a friend’s place in Balanga when three unidentified miscreants allegedly set her on fire. She was rescued by a local villager and first shifted to the community health centre at Pipili, from where she was moved to AIIMS-Bhubaneswar. As her condition deteriorated, she was airlifted to AIIMS-Delhi a day later.
Since the incident occurred close on the heels of the death by suicide of a student from FM Autonomous College in Balasore, it drew national attention and triggered a political storm. Leader of Opposition Naveen Patnaik also expressed deep condolences over the minor’s death.