Dumka (Jharkhand): A 19-year-old girl who was set on fire in a case of unrequited love on August 23 has succumbed to her injuries. Ankita Kumari, who was being treated at a hospital in Jharkhand after her neighbour Shahrukh Hussain poured petrol on her and set her ablaze, died during the intervening night of Saturday and Sunday.
The accused youth had attacked Ankita, a class 12 girl, after she refused his advances. The incident took place in the Jaruadih locality of the city police station area of Jharkhand's Dumka district. Police has arrested the accused.
According to sources, Shahrukh, who lives in the neighbourhood, was continuously harassing Ankita. He had managed to get her phone number from somewhere and started forcing her to befriend him. It is alleged that when Ankita did not agree and rebuked him, Shahrukh lost his cool and threatened to kill her.
The accused splashed petrol on the girl while she was sleeping and till she could understand what was happening, he lit a match and set her on fire. The girl suffered 90% burn injuries and was admitted to Phoolo Jhano Medical College Hospital (FJMCH). Later, she was referred to Ranchi's Rajendra Institute of Medical Science (RIMS) where she succumbed.
According to her statement given to an executive magistrate, the woman had said that the accused called her on her mobile around 10 days back pestering her to become his friend. "He called me again around 8 pm on Monday and told me that he would kill me if I did not talk to him. I informed my father about the threat after which he assured me that he would talk to the man's family on Tuesday. After having our dinner, we went to sleep. I was sleeping in another room.
On Tuesday morning, I experienced a sensation of pain on my back and could smell something burning. I found him running away when I opened my eyes. I started screaming in pain and went to my father's room. My parents doused the fire and took me to the hospital," the woman had spoken with great difficulty while the police recorded her statement.
As soon as the news of her death went public, tempers rose high in the sub-capital Dumka. BJP and Bajrang Dal workers came out on the road and forced the shopkeepers to close their businesses for the day. They demand that the accused Shahrukh, who is in police custody, should be sentenced to death by a fast-track court.
Viswa Hindu Parishad and Bajrang Dal activists staged a demonstration at Dudhani Chowk in Dumka and submitted a memorandum to the sub-divisional police officer Vijay Kumar demanding justice for the victim. In a bid to maintain law and order, Section-144 CrPC was imposed in Dumka sub-division. The gathering of five and more people in one place is prohibited. Rally, demonstration, and procession are not allowed without prior permission, Sub-divisional officer (SDO) Maheswar Mahto said. (With agency inputs)
