Seven-year-old girl in Karnataka sets herself ablaze mimicking TV serial act, dies

DAVANGERE: A seven-year-old girl from Harihar town in Davangere set herself ablaze while trying to enact a scene from a TV serial. 

The girl, Prarthana, was a Class II student of a private school. The incident took place on November 11 and the girl died at a private hospital the next day. However, the incident came to light only on Wednesday after the mother decided to inform police so that more children don't get influenced by television serials.

Prarthana was addicted to TV serials and had a liking for the bilingual serial Nandini, said her mother Chaitra who works as a housekeeper. The girl's father Manjunath is a daily wage worker.

The girl used to spend most of her time at neighbour Dakshayini's house as both her parents were working. On the day of the incident too, she was at Dakshayini's house, watching the serial.

According to her mother, Prarthana saw one of the characters in the serial set herself ablaze and dance. The girl, who wanted to enact the scene, came home, picked up some waste papers, poured kerosene and set herself ablaze and started dancing. She also called her younger sister to join her. The sibling, who got scared looking at it, ran to her neighbours and told them about the incident. 

The neighbours rushed to the spot and also informed the girl's mother.

Prarthana was rushed to a government hospital at Harihar and later to SS Hi-tech Hospital in Davangere, but the girl succumbed to burn injuries.

"Prarthana was like my daughter. She used to spend most of her time at my place," said Dakshayini, her neighbour.

The town police visited the hospital and are investigating the case.