Cuttack/Bhawanipatana, Jan 14: In connection with the case of the minor girl of Kalahandi who was set on fire by two youths for protesting eve-teasing, yesterday the Crime Branch took charge of investigation into the case. Hence, a four-member team led by a woman has been formed which is stated to leave for Narla of Kalhandi today. A total of six including two prime accused have been arrested in the case. The minor accused, Shyama Sahoo has been produced before the Juvenile Justice board and the others have been forwarded to sessions court. This was said by the additional SP Akshya Kumar Das to the media. On the other hand, the victim girl who sustained 90 per cent burns is struggling for life at Ispat General Hospital (IGH) at Rourkela and the government is bearing the medical expense.
The girl victim is a student of the TRW School at Madhupur under Lanjigarh block. Notably, she had gone to a nearby stream to attend nature’s call on Wednesday afternoon when two youths, identified as Bulu Das and Shyama Sahoo of the same village passed lewd comments at her. The girl protested and informed the matter to her parents. Her mother then, cautioned the youths for their obscene act. Outraged by this, the two youths passed abusive remarks to the girl’s father in presence of others. Later in the evening, on finding the girl alone in the house, they trespassed and allegedly set her on fire after dousing her with kerosene oil. On hearing the girl’s screams, the locals there rescued her and immediately took her to a hospital.
