BERHAMPUR: Kanakadei Bhatra, a girl belonging to Nabarangpur district who allegedly attempted suicide by setting herself on fire after her parents expressed their inability to pay her school fees, was shifted to the SCB Medical College and Hospital, Cuttack as her condition deteriorated on Saturday.
A Class X student of Ghatguda High School, Kanakadei suffered 95 per cent burn injuries. The incident occurred on Thursday and she was referred to MKCG Medical on Friday.
Kanakdei hails from Khutuguda village under Jhadabal panchayat in Papdahandi block of Nabarangpur. On her return from school on Wednesday, she asked her father Keshab Bhatra for `200 which she needed to pay her school fees. Keshab told her that he did not have the money.
On Thursday, she asked her mother Budhbari for the money and when she too refused, the girl locked herself in the kitchen, poured kerosene and set herself afire. Parents of Kanakdei work as daily wagers to earn livelihood. On Thursday, Additional Secretary to Revenue Divisional Commissioner (southern division), Sujata Sahu, visited the girl at the MKCG Medical and handed over `10,000 to her family members from Odisha State Treatment Fund. She said Kanakdei would be provided treatment free of cost.
Last month, a 14-year-old girl student of Government Girls’ High School in Aska had committed suicide by setting herself on fire after her parents could not give her `10 to buy a notebook and pencil.