A 16-year-old girl, who was set ablaze by her boyfriend in Andhra Pradesh’s Kadapa district, succumbed to injuries on Sunday.
The victim, a student in Intermediate first year (Class 11), died while undergoing treatment at Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) in Kadapa
The girl stated in her dying declaration that Vignesh set her afire for asking him to marry her.
The incident occurred on Saturday near Badvel town. Accused Vignesh and the victim had been friends since childhood.
According to police, the accused recently married another girl but wanted to maintain a relationship with the victim. On Saturday, he called her and wanted to meet her. He told her that if she did not meet him, he would end his life. The victim agreed to meet and boarded an autorickshaw from her college. After she travelled some distance, Vignesh also joined her.
They reached a place near Century Plywood factory, about 10 km from Badvel. It was not known what transpired between the two but after some time the accused poured petrol on her and set her afire. Hearing her cries, farmers working in the nearby fields rushed to her rescue and doused the fire while the accused fled from there. The locals informed the police, who admitted the victim to a hospital in Badvel. Later, she was shifted to Kadapa and admitted to Rajiv Gandhi RIMS.
The victim suffered 80 per cent burn injuries and succumbed Sunday morning. The district judge recorded her statement at RIMS.
Police said the accused was arrested on Saturday night.
Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu has expressed shock over the girl's death. He directed officials to set up fast fast-track court for expeditious trial of the case. He also asked officials to make sure that the culprit gets the death penalty for the heinous crime.
