A 14-year-old Class X girl is battling for life at Delhi’s Safdarjung Hospital after she was allegedly set ablaze by six men at her residence in Meerut’s Sardhana on August 17.
The accused were sexually harassing the girl and when she did not respond to their advances, they barged into her house and assaulted her and other family members. The family said she was set ablaze by the six men for refusing to talk to them.
“Four persons have been arrested in connection with the case,” said Senior Superintendent of Police (Meerut) Rajesh Kumar Pandey.
The girl is critical said Safdarjung Hospital medical superintendent Rajendra Sharma. “The girl was brought here in a critical state. She has 60% deep burns and smoke inhalation injuries. She is being looked after by a team of doctors,” he said.
Meanwhile, at the hospital, the victim’s 55-year-old grandfather, alleged that the accused identified as Rajvansh Bagdi, Devendra Bagdi, Rohit Saini, Gajraj Saini, Aman and Deepak entered their house, thrashed the girl and poured kerosene on her before setting her ablaze
The victim’s mother and grandmother was also present during the incident.
Narrating the events that preceded the incident, the family said that the accused Rohit was after the victim and had been pursuing for three-four days forcing her to talk to him. However, she had refused.
“On Thursday [August 16], Rohit and his friends stopped her, while she was returning from tuitions, held her hand and asked her to come with them,” he said.
When the girl resisted, the accused allegedly threw a mobile phone in her bag and fled. While leaving, they shouted that she receive a call in the evening. “They said that she will have to pick up the call otherwise they would harm her and the family,” the grandfather said.
The girl returned home and narrated the incident to her parents. They decided to speak to the accused’s parents.
Around 8 p.m., the girl received a call on the phone. The call was answered by the girl’s father.
“He [father] scolded the man and told him to stop harassing his daughter. The parents then went to the man’s house a few metres away from ours,” the victim’s grandfather said.
The accused parents assured the girl’s family that they will make the accused understand. “They asked us not to file a complaint with the police which would bring bad name to the family,” the 55-year-old said.
The man, however, called again at 1 a.m. and was scolded by the father.
The next morning, two accused came to the victim’s house on the pretext of taking back their phone. “First, they sweet-talked and then started an argument. They threatened to upload videos and pictures of the girl on the Internet that would ruin her life. Eventually, they pulled out their belts and started beating the girl and other women. They called a few others who brought kerosene and set her on fire before fleeing,” the grandfather said.
Changed testimony
The neighbours immediately gathered and rushed the victim to a hospital where she underwent treatment before being brought to the Capital on Monday for treatment.
The Meerut police had earlier said that the victim set herself on fire because the accused harassed and threatened to destroy the family’s honour.
The Senior Superintendent of Police told The Hindu, “Right after the incident, the father had stated the same, however, at the time of lodging complaint, said that she was set ablaze by the accused”.
“We are investigating the case thoroughly and have arrested Rajvansh, Devendra, Deep Mohan alias Deepak and one person whose name is yet to be confirmed by the victim,” Mr. Pandey said adding that the police are assisting the victim and her family in every way.
Responding to the changed testimony, the grandfather said that the victim’s father was unaware of the events when he told the police initially, as he was absent when the incident took place. The father was later informed by the women of the family, the grandfather said.