14-year-old gang-rape victim sets herself on fire in Madhya Pradesh, succumbs

A 14-year-old tribal girl died at a hospital in Maharashtra’s Nagpur on Wednesday after her repeated gang rape pushed her to set herself afire in Betul district of Madhya Pradesh on Tuesday, police said.

Betul’s additional police superintendent, Shraddha Joshi, said they have arrested Sandeep Hisare and Nitesh Nagale for allegedly raping the girl. A third accused is absconding and the police have launched a manhunt to arrest him, added Joshi.

Joshi maintained there was no police complaint about the gang rape and the girl’s suicide brought the matter to light.

Inspector Rajendra Dubey said as per the girl’s dying declaration, she was gang-raped at least four times. “The last time they gang-raped her was one and a half months back.”

She has named the accused also in her suicide note.

Dubey said the accused are labourers and in their 20s. “They had threatened her with dire consequences if she reported the matter to police. She did not even share her ordeal with her family members.” Dubey said the accused have been booked for gang rape and abetment to suicide. He added they will also be charged under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act and the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.