Dad sets Virar girl ablaze for ‘cell chat with her boyfriend’

MUMBAI: A 16-year-old Virar girl was set on fire by her father at their home for allegedly speaking on her cellphone on Monday. The girl suffered over 70% burns and is battling for life at KEM hospital in Parel.
The incident took place around 2pm when the girl, Shaista, who works as a house help, was speaking on her cellphone, said the police. “Her father, Mohammed Mansoori, who does odd jobs, entered the room and asked her to put down the phone. Suspecting that she was having an affair and speaking to her lover on the phone, he told her that he did not like her spending long hours on the phone,” said the police.

But the girl continued to speak on the phone, said an officer. “Angry, Mansoori charged towards her, grabbed her cellphone and threw it on the floor. He then began hitting the girl and asked her whom she was speaking to and how she got a cellphone. Her mother tried to intervene but was asked to stay away,” said an officer. When the girl tried to run out of the ground-floor rented flat in Virar (E), Mansoori dragged her back, pulled her into the kitchen, lifted the stove and poured kerosene from it on the girl, said the officer. “He then set her on fire.”

Eyewitnesses said that the girl on fire ran out of the house screaming for help and her mother followed. Neighbours tried to douse the flames and poured water on her. The girl collapsed and was rushed to a hospital. Later, she was moved to KEM and doctors said her condition was critical.

The police have arrested Mansoori for attempt to murder under IPC Section 307. He has been sent to police custody by the Vasai court. Mansoori has told cops Shaista used to spend hours on the cellphone but never told him who she was communicating with.