BHUBANESWAR: The horror run of atrocities against women continued as Odisha woke up to the shocking attack on a 15-year-old girl who was set on fire by a group of miscreants in Puri district on Saturday morning.
The minor girl who suffered over 70 per cent burn injuries was rescued by locals and shifted to AIIMS-Bhubaneswar. Preliminary investigation suggested the attack was premeditated.
The victim was on her way to a friend’s house in a village under Balanga police station limits, about 37 km from Bhubaneswar, when three youths gagged her with a handkerchief and abducted her on a bike to the banks of Bhargavi river where she was doused with inflammable substances.
In a bid to save her life, the girl ran towards the nearby houses and cried for help when a local resident came to her rescue and put out the flames. He then took her to his house and provided first aid as well as new clothes. The victim belonged to a minority community. As Odisha police launched a massive manhunt, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi said stringent action will be initiated against perpetrators of the crime.
Director General of Police Y B Khurania said special teams have been formed to nab the perpetrators.
The incident comes close on the heels of the self-immolation by a 20-year-old student who was allegedly harassed sexually by an assistant professor in Balasore’s FM Autonomous College.
Given the sensitivity of the current case, police recorded the victim’s statement before a magistrate at AIIMS-Bhubaneswar where the doctors said the victim’s condition remained critical.
Executive director of AIIMS-Bhubaneswar Dr Ashutosh Biswas said the girl suffered 70 per cent to 75 per cent burn injuries. “On some parts, she sustained third degree burns. She is in ICU but without ventilator support. A team of 14 doctors drawn from different departments are providing her treatment,” he added. The next 72 hours are very crucial and the girl has been kept under close observation, he added.
Earlier, IG, Central Range S Praveen Kumar rushed to the spot to take stock of the investigation which was led by DIG Pinak Mishra who also is SP-in-charge of Puri district. A scientific team which carried out crime scene investigation found at least two bottles of inflammable substances, possibly kerosene. The substance is subject to examination, police said.
“The miscreants were possibly aware of the girl’s movement and came prepared. We are investigating all the angles,” a police officer said.
So far, police have not arrested anyone but several persons were being questioned in connection with the ghastly crime. CCTV cameras of the area were also being examined.
The girl’s mother lodged a complaint with Balanga police station saying the miscreants came with the intent of murdering her daughter. The victim’s father said the family did not have enmity with anyone nor did he have any clue about the attackers who were behind the brutal attack.
Earlier in the day, deputy chief minister Pravati Parida said the state government will bear all the expenses of her treatment.
The shocking attack drew sharp criticism from the Opposition political parties. Leader of Opposition and BJD president Naveen Patnaik slammed the BJP-led government by stating that such unthinkable incidents against women are now being reported almost daily across the state.
“These are not stray cases of violence. These incidents occurring with shocking regularity point to a deep systemic failure of governance. It shows that criminals have become emboldened under the present government and are not worried about being punished,” he said.
As political party leaders visited AIIMS to meet the family members of the victim leading to overcrowding, the hospital authorities issued a notice requesting against unnecessary gathering on the campus to ensure other patients did not face any inconvenience.