Youth barge into girl’s home, set her on fire after family complains of harassment

A teenage girl was set on fire in Sardhana town of Uttar Pradesh’s Meerut district when she refused the demand of a gang of youths to talk to them over phone, police said on Saturday.

While the girl who received burn injuries is being treated in a private hospital, two persons, including one of the six accused named by the girl’s family, have been arrested and a search is on for the others.

“We have arrested one named accused while raids are being conducted to arrest the others,” said Rajesh Kumar, superintendent of police, rural.

According to the girl’s family, the gang of youth often harassed the girl while she was on her way to her coaching institute. One of them gave her a phone on Thursday and told that he will call her at midnight. When she returned home, the girl told her family of the incident and handed over the phone to them.

As the youth called up, the girl’s father responded and scolded him. Thereafter, family members went to the boy’s home on Friday and complained about his misconduct.

While both families were trying to resolve the issue, the boy, along with his friends, barged into the girl’s house and set her on fire after pouring kerosene oil on her.

The girl’s family had named Rajvansh Bagdi, Devendra Bagdi, Rohit Saini, Gajraula Saini, Aman and Deepak in the case. Police have arrested Rajvansh Bagdi and one of his associates.

Sardhana town had seen riots in 2004 due to incidents of harassment. Two persons died in clashes and a long period of curfew followed. Local residents however say that incidents of harassment and molestation have not stopped yet which is matter of concern.

Samajwadi Party leader Atul Pradhan has demanded that the accused be booked under the National Security Act and said that they are with the girl’s family in their battle for justice.