A 15-year-old dalit girl who was allegedly set on fire by two-bike borne assailants in Agra on Tuesday afternoon, succumbed to her injuries at national Capital’s Safdarjang hospital on early hours of Thursday.
The incident occurred on Tuesday in Agra when the girl, a Class X student, was returning home from school on bicycle when she was waylaid by unidentified youths who were wearing helmets. The assailants had poured an inflammable liquid (petrol) on the girl and set her ablaze by a lighter.
The girl with 75 per cent burn injuries was referred to Safdarjang by local hospital in Agra on late Tuesday.
The Agra police have recovered the lighter and have detained six suspects from Kagraul, Khaulawa, Naripura, Naumeel and two from the victim’s village Lalao (the girl’s relative and neighbour) and are questioning them. Whereas one of the suspect who police thinks is a prime accused is absconding.
According to a senior official at Safdarjang, the girl succumbed to her burn injuries due to infection, though her autopsy is yet to be done. “We will be able tell exact reason of death once autopsy is done,” said the senior official.
Meanwhile, victim’s family member said that she took last breath at 2 am on Thursday. “She was unable to breathe. Her throat was also swollen. We will take her to our native village for last rites once her post-mortem is done,” said a family member.