Pilibhit Dalit girl raped and set on fire by 2 men dies after 12 days: Hospital

The two accused allegedly raped the 16-year-old girl, poured diesel on her and set her on fire on September 7. She continued to battle for life for 12 days, initially in a local hospital before being shifted to Lucknow’s King George’s Medical University

LUCKNOW: The 16-year-old Dalit girl who was set on fire after being raped by two men in Pilibhit district on September 7 died has succumbed to her injuries in Lucknow’s King George’s Medical University (KGMU), the hospital said on Monday.

Pilibhit SP Dinesh Kumar Prabhu said the two men accused to have raped the Dalit girl were arrested for offences under the IPC, Pocso and the Dalit atrocity law. (PTI fIle Photo)

“The 16-year-old had suffered 68% burn injuries. Unfortunately, she died during treatment early this morning,” KGMU spokesperson Dr Sudhir Singh said. She was brought to the hospital in the state capital last week.

The two accused, Rajveer (19) and Tarachand alias Tarun Kumar (25), were arrested earlier and sent to judicial custody, Pilibhit superintendent of police Dinesh Kumar Prabhu said.

The two accused are alleged to have poured diesel on the Dalit teenager after raping her in Pilibhit’s Madhav Tanda area on September 7.

The case, however, came to light when a video of the survivor narrating her ordeal was widely shared on social media three days after the incident. She was then referred to KGMU by doctors of a regional hospital.