The 13-year-old minor dalit girl, who was set on fire allegedly by a 25-year-old married man for resisting his rape attempt at his house in Khammam on September 18, has died.
The girl worked as a domestic help at the accused Allam Maraiah’s home in Mustafanagar.
The horrifying incident came to light in October first week.
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The accused tried to hush it up by intimidating the girl’s parents through some community leaders as both the accused and the victim hail from the same community, as per sources.
The incident sparked outrage when women organisations activists staged dharna in protest against the ‘rising tide of violence’ against young girls. Thereafter, when officials visited the girl, the victim said that the accused tried to whisk her away to his room though she pleaded him to leave.
She further told officials that when she managed to rush towards main entrance of the house, Maraiah came to her a short while later with a petrol can, poured the fuel all over her and set fire.
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The victim suffered from around 70% burns.
She was initially taken to a private hospital there, and shifted to Osmania General Hospital on October 5.
A few days later, she was taken to a private hospital in Hyderabad. It was reliably learnt that she died.
However, Khammam police said they cannot confirm the death.
The police arrested Maraiah. The accused was booked under Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, and relevant sections of the IPC.