Khammam: A 13-year-old girl from Khammam, who was set ablaze by a 26-year-old man after resisting rape, died at a private hospital in Hyderabad on Thursday night. The minor succumbed to her burn injuries after battling for life for 27 days.
The 13-year-old was working as a domestic help at the residence of the accused in Mustafanagar in Khammam. The incident took place on September 18 but came to light only in the first week of October when the condition of the girl turned critical in a private hospital at Khammam.
The hospital authorities were given the impression that she had suffered accidental burns. “When we received specific information that she had received burn injuries for suspicious reasons, we rushed to the hospital and took up the investigation,” Tausfeer Iqbal, Khammam police commissioner told reporters.
The police immediately shifted the girl, who suffered 80 per cent burn injuries, to Osmania General Hospital in Hyderabad on October 5. She was later moved to a corporate hospital for better treatment where she succumbed to burns late on Thursday night.
In her declaration video to the police, the victim narrated that the man attempted to drag her into his bedroom despite her repeated pleas to spare her. “I addressed him Anna (brother) and asked why I should sleep with him,” the victim told. Further, when she escaped from his clutches and tried to run away towards the main entrance, he got angry and beat her up, before pouring petrol on her and setting her ablaze.
He fled the house, but returned a few hours later and got her admitted to a private hospital for treatment. He also informed the girl’s parents a few days later, the police said.
The police took suo moto cognizance of the offence and arrested the man after booked him under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, and relevant sections of the IPC, including an attempt to rape and attempt to murder and also for trying to suppress the information about the incident. “We shall now convert the case to murder under Section 302 of IPC,” the police commissioner said.