‘No other person involved’: Odisha Police after teen girl 'set on fire' in Puri dies at AIIMS

In an official statement released Sunday, the police confirmed that the investigation has entered its final stage.

Updated on: Aug 3, 2025, 09:21:17 IST

By HT News Desk

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The 15-year-old girl who was allegedly set on fire by three miscreants in Odisha’s Puri last month succumbed to her injuries while undergoing treatment at AIIMS in New Delhi, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi said on Saturday.

Biju Janata Dal (BJD) workers during a gherao at a police station in protest after a 15-year-old girl was set on fire by unidentified persons in the district on Saturday. (PTI)

The girl was allegedly kidnapped and set ablaze on the banks of Bhargavi River in Puri district on July 19. The victim, who had sustained over 70 per cent burn injuries, was admitted to a community health centre and later shifted to AIIMS-Bhubaneswar. She was airlifted to AIIMS-Delhi, where she was undergoing treatment.

Following her death, the Odisha Police in a statement said there was no "involvement of any other person in the incident."

In an official statement posted on X on Sunday, the police confirmed that the investigation has reached its final stage and that all evidence available indicates no third-party involvement.

"We are deeply saddened to hear the news of the death of the victim girl in the Balanga incident. The police have conducted a thorough investigation into this incident. The investigation has reached its final stage. According to the investigation conducted so far, it is clear that no other person is involved in this incident. Therefore, we request everyone not to make any sensitive comments related to this in this tragic moment," a police statement read.

What are the allegations?

A 15-year-old girl succumbed on Saturday during treatment at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in New Delhi after she was severely burned in an accident in Odisha's Balanga.

Also Read | Odisha man kills wife, her mother, buries them in backyard. How he got caught

The girl, a student of Class 10, was reportedly doused with kerosene in Bayabar village under Balanga police limits.

She alleged that three youths on bicycles kidnapped her, made her unconscious and burnt her on the Bhargavi riverbed on July 19.

The girl escaped from the location and found refuge in a local home. She was admitted to AIIMS Bhubaneswar immediately, the same day, with police recording her statement.

Also Read | Odisha student dies after self-immolation. Why did she take the extreme step?

The death of the minor girl comes nearly two weeks after the death of a 20-year-old college student in Odisha’s Balasore district, following a self-immolation attempt over alleged sexual harassment by a professor at Fakir Mohan College.

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HT News Desk
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