Class 8 Girl Dies After Being Found Ablaze In Odisha’s Bargarh District
According to police, the girl was discovered lying unconscious with severe burns covering almost her entire body.
Bhubaneswar:: A Class 8 student who was found engulfed in flames in a football field in Phiringimal village, Bargarh district, on Monday morning has died of her injuries at Veer Surendra Sai Medical College and Hospital in Burla.
According to police, the girl was discovered lying unconscious with severe burns covering almost her entire body. A plastic bottle containing petrol and a matchbox were recovered from the scene. She was initially rushed to a nearby hospital before being shifted to Burla in critical condition. Despite the efforts of doctors, she succumbed in the afternoon.
“The doctor has just declared her dead. Her family has reported that she took the extreme step herself, and we have registered an unnatural death case. We are investigating all possible angles,” local police said in a statement.
Inspector General of Police (Northern Range) Himanshu Lal said the girl had been staying with her maternal uncle for the past month and was due to return to her hostel on Monday or Tuesday. “We are probing what transpired at home earlier in the day and what may have led to this tragic turn of events,” he added.
Sources in the police said preliminary inquiries point to a family dispute as a possible trigger. During questioning, the daughter of the girl’s maternal uncle reportedly fainted, adding weight to suspicions of domestic tension. However, investigators have not yet ruled out the possibility that she may have been set ablaze by someone else.
Eyewitnesses claimed they had to wait for more than 45 minutes for an ambulance to arrive after the incident, prompting concerns over emergency response in the area.
Law minister Prithiviraj Harichandan described the incident as “deeply unfortunate” and urged people in distress to seek help. “Suicide is never a solution. The Chief Minister’s doors are open to everyone,” he said, adding that the government will deal with the case with “utmost seriousness” and take strict action against any perpetrator if foul play is established. He also warned that police officers failing to promptly register complaints would face disciplinary measures.
The investigation is ongoing, with post-mortem and forensic examinations expected to shed further light on the case.