Muristek
Bengal girl dies after setting herself ablaze over threat to withdraw rape attempt complaint
Jalpaiguri, April 25
A 14-year-old girl succumbed to her injuries on Monday after fighting for her life for nearly a fortnight, after she had set herself ablaze in this district, over an alleged threat to withdraw a police complaint regarding a rape attempt on her.
The victim's family demanded a CBI inquiry into the incident.
A man allegedly tried to rape the girl when she was alone at her house in Maynaguri police station area on February 28 but as she raised an alarm, the accused fled the spot.
Her family had filed a police complaint and the accused was arrested, but he subsequently secured bail.
Two men, with their faces covered, allegedly came to the girl's house on April 13 when she was alone and threatened her to withdraw the complaint, or else she would be raped and her family murdered.
The terrified girl set herself ablaze the next day, but was rescued and admitted to a Jalpaiguri hospital, and later shifted to North Bengal Medical College and Hospital, where she died early on Monday.
"We had formed a medical board and special care was provided to her. But she had more than 60 per cent burns and the infection spread rapidly. We tried our best to save her but she succumbed to her injuries at around 5 am on Monday," NBMCH principal Indrajit Saha said.
Superintendent of Police Debarshi Dutta said all four accused in the case had been arrested and remanded to judicial custody.