A 16-year-old girl died of burn injuries as she set herself ablaze following alleged rape by a youth at Paccharlahalli under Vemagal police limits in Kolar taluk.
The police gave the name of the victim as Radha. They arrested Pramod (21), a first year B.Com student, on charges of kidnap and rape and booked him under the provisions of Protection of Children from Sexual Offence Act, and abetting the suicide, Vemagal SI B.S. Yashwanth told The Hindu .
The girl, who was working in the field of Pramod’s family at Aleri, and Pramod reportedly fell in love and both of them are said to have run away from the village on July 31 and Pramod allegedly sexually abused her. He returned with her and left her at her home on August 3.
Apparently upset by the notion that Pramod will let her down, she doused herself with kerosene and set herself on fire when family members were away. Neighbours who rushed to her house on hearing the screams, extinguished the fire and admitted her to Victoria Hospital in Bengaluru. She died of burns at the hospital on Tuesday.
