Youth, parents set 16-year-old girl ablaze after rape bid

Allahabad, Jan 7: The parents of a youth helped him set

their 16-year-old neighbour following his aborted attempt to

the

, police said here today. The teenager suffered 70 per cent burns and her condition is reportedly very critical.

Though the incident took place on Jan 5, the first information report was lodged only yesterday that too after a local activist Manju Pathak put pressure on the police to take action.

The main accused in the case is Gyan Patel (20) who entered the girl's house in Shankargarh near here when her sisters had gone to fetch water from a well in the area. On seeing smoke billowing out of their home, they ran back and saw that the teenager was almost engulfed in flames.

Hearing their cries for help, neighbours rushed to the house and on seeing the gravity of the situation, arranged an ambulance. The girl was rushed to the nearest hospital.

According to Senior Superintendent of Police Mohit Agarwal, a look out has been issued for Gyan Patel, his father Santosh and mother Geeta. SP (Crime) Arun Pandey recorded the girl's statement at the hospital. She narrated how Gyan had first tried to rape her. Since she strongly resisted him, he went away but came back a short while later with his parents. They poured kerosene and set her on fire, the girl recounted.

She said that Gyan had threatened her not to lodge a police complaint against him. The accused pointed out that while he can manage enough finances to fight the case in court, she would not be able to do so.

Women's groups stressed that the three accused must be given stringent punishment.

OneIndia News