In shocking incident, a 19-year-old girl succumbed to serious burns she suffered after a youth allegedly set her ablaze for turning down his marriage proposal over one-and-a-half months ago, at Duddepudi in Vemsur mandal on Sunday.
The gruesome incident remained under wraps for all these days due to the alleged attempts by some elders in the village to hush up the case.
But it came to light on Monday when some enraged relatives of the deceased tried to stage a protest demonstration in front of the house of the accused at Duddepudi in the morning.
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According to sources, J. Maunika, 19, an Intermediate student, suffered deep third degree burns after Manoj, 21, an outsourcing employee in a government department, allegedly set her on fire for refusing his marriage proposal more than one-and-a-half months ago.
She had undergone treatment at two hospitals in Vijaywada and Hyderabad before being brought back home a few days ago.
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Maunika succumbed to grievous burns on Sunday after battling for life for almost seven weeks.
The Vemsur police booked Manoj under Section 302 (murder) of the IPC.
The police also registered cases against nine villagers under Section 109 (abetment).
Penuballi (VM Banjara) Circle Inspector Ch Mohan Rao is investigating the case.