13-year-old burnt alive by classmates

Nidhi Dhakad, a 13-year-old Class VII student, was burnt alive allegedly by two of her classmates on Wednesday at Satpada Sarai village of Vidisha district in Madhya Pradesh, reports GK Maheshwari.

Nidhi Dhakad, a 13-year-old Class VII student, was burnt alive allegedly by two of her classmates on Wednesday at Satpada Sarai village of Vidisha district in Madhya Pradesh. The reason: She protested aganist bullying by seniors at school.

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But naib tehsildar Saroj Parihar, who took Nidhi’s dying statement, refused to divulge anything, saying,

“The matter is sensitive. I can’t say anything about this.”

Nidhi is reported to have said in her statement that two of her classmates and a Class IX student of the school were beating up another girl. When Nidhi protested, the three beat her up too. Around 12.30 pm, when she was returning home, the three allegedly followed her, caught her at a secluded place and set her afire after pouring kerosene. Neighbours tried to save her and informed her father. She was rushed to the district hospital where she died at 8.30 pm.

Nidhi’s father, Kaluram Dhakad, alleged that the three girls used to torment Nidhi. He said, “I had informed teachers, but they did not take any action.” However, neither Kaluram nor his wife Kamala Bai confirmed that the three girls were responsible for their daughter’s death.

District police chief RL Prajapati said there were contradictory versions about how exactly the girl caught fire. “The truth will be known only after investigation,” he told Hindustan Times. District education officer Manish Verma said: “I will also investigate if the teachers had ignored the girl’s complaints about bullying against the three girls.”