An 18-year-old girl suffered 80% burns after three women neighbours allegedly set her on fire over the theft of a mobile phone at Wajidpur village in Patiala district, about 8km from here.
The victim, Manpreet Kaur, is in critical condition at Government Rajindra Hospital at Patiala, where she recorded her statement. Jaswant Singh Mangat, station house officer (SHO), Nabha Sadar, said the girl alleged that Taranpreet Kaur, Mukhtiar Kaur and Veerpal Kaur had been accusing her for some days of having stolen a mobile phone from their house. On Thursday, they barged into the house when Manpreet was alone and poured kerosene on her before setting her ablaze, her father Surjan Singh corroborated.

A case under section 307 (attempt to murder) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) has been registered, though the SHO added that the theory contained holes. "Veerpal is pregnant with delivery due this week, while Taranpreet is physically challenged. We are examining the statement of the victim as to how these women could carry out such an attack," he said.