Uttar Pradesh Dalit girl set on fire for not sharing mobile number

A 16-year-old Dalit girl was allegedly set afire at her house in Azamgarh district on Monday evening, after she refused to share her mobile phone number with a neighbour.

Police said the girl, a resident of Fariha village, has been admitted to the divisional hospital at Varanasi in a critical condition. “She suffered 80% burns in the incident,” said Dr Prabhat Kumar, a staffer at the hospital.

A complaint filed by the girl stated that the accused, identified as Mohammad Shafi, entered the house and asked for her mobile phone number. When she refused, he allegedly molested her before setting her afire.

The girl’s neighbours rushed to the scene and caught hold of Shafi, treating him to a thrashing. He was later handed over the police, who registered a case under sections 307 (attempt to murder), 342 (wrongful confinement) and 354 (assaulting a woman with intent to outrage her modesty) of the Indian Penal Code, besides the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences and SC/ST Acts.

Police said Shafi has also been hospitalised with injuries suffered at the hands of the neighbours.

“A large number of police personnel have been deployed in the village to prevent any untoward incident. The case is being investigated,” said superintendent of police Ravi Shankar Chhavi.