Puri teen set on fire dies at AIIMS-Delhi, police says no one involved

Bhubaneswar: The 15-year-old girl who was allegedly set on fire by three unidentified miscreants in Odisha’s Puri district a fortnight ago succumbed to her injuries while undergoing treatment at AIIMS-Delhi, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi said on Saturday.

The girl was allegedly kidnapped and set ablaze on the banks of Bhargavi River in Puri district on July 19.

The incident took place when the minor was walking down to her house after meeting a friend.

She was allegedly intercepted and abducted by the three persons who poured an inflammable substance and set her ablaze, her mother stated in an FIR at Balanga police station.

She had sustained over 70 per cent burn injuries. She was rushed to Pipili community health centre on July 19. Later in the day, she was shifted to AIIMS-Bhubaneswar and airlifted to AIIMS-Delhi the next day, where she underwent at least two surgeries and skin grafting.

Odisha Police, in the presence of a magistrate, had recorded her statement on Friday.

Meanwhile, security has been tightened in the state capital in the wake of the girl's death.

Dukhisshyam Senapati, a villager who first saw the burning girl and doused the fire on her clothes, quoting the victim had said that three people had abducted her and set her on fire after pouring inflammable substance on her.

However, Odisha Police, after a 15-day-long investigation claimed that no other person was involved in the case.

"Deeply saddened by the passing of the Balanga incident victim. Despite the best efforts of doctors at AIIMS-Delhi, her life couldn’t be saved. May her soul attain sadgati and God bless the family with immense strength in this difficult time," Governor Hari Babu Kambhampati said in a X post.

Majhi in a post on X said: "I am deeply shocked to hear the news of the death of the girl from Balanga area. Despite all the efforts of the government and the round-the-clock endeavours of specialist medical team at AIIMS Delhi, her life could not be saved. I pray for the eternal peace of the girl's soul and pray before God to grant strength to her family to bear this irreparable loss." Odisha's Deputy Chief Ministers - KV Singh Deo and Pravati Parida - also expressed condolences over the demise of the girl.

BJD president and leader of opposition Naveen Patnaik expressed his deep grief over the demise of the girl and conveyed his condolences to her family.

"Deeply saddened and anguished to know that the young girl set on fire in #Balanga area of #Puri District passed away while undergoing treatment in AIIMS. My condolences for the young girl and prayers are with the family members in the hour grief. May God give the family members strength to bear this irreparable loss," Patnaik posted on X.

A delegation of BJD MPs led by its Rajya Sabha MP Sasmit Patra said they were rushing to the AIIMS-Delhi.

BJD leader and former minister Sanjau Das Burma asked the state government to pay an ex gratia of Rs 2 crore to the victim’s family and arrest of the three accused within seven days.

Talking to some Odia news channels in Delhi, the victim's father said the state government has done a lot for his daughter.

"I have lost my daughter. She has taken her life for mental agony. I appeal all not to politicise her death and pray for her eternal peace," the father said to TV channels.

Odisha Police also expressed grief over the incident and claimed that the investigation into the girl burning incident has reached the last stage.

Police claimed that there was no other person involved in the incident and requested all not to make any sensational statement over the matter.

Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) president Bhakta Charan Das also expressed his condolences and demanded the arrest of the three culprits involved in the burning of the girl within seven days. "We will gherao the DGP office if the culprits are not held within seven days," Das said.

Though 15 days have passed since the girl was set on fire, police have not been able to nab any of the culprits involved in the case, he said.

Das described August 2 as a "Bad Saturday" as the girl was also set on fire on Saturday (July 19).

Meanwhile, sources said Puri police has deployed some personnel near the deceased girl's house and also at Balanga town.

Police have also tightened security in Bhubaneswar and sealed the roads in front of CM’s residence.

The incident had sparked outrage as it came close on the heels of a 20-year-old college student resorting to self-immolation and succumbing to 95 per cent burn injuries in Balasore over a sexual harassment incident.