13-year-old Indian girl allegedly set ablaze by minor after she resisted rape

A 13-year-old girl from Rajgarh district of Bhopal in central India was allegedly set ablaze by a teenage boy after a failed rape attempt late on Saturday (10 February).

The girl in her statement said the suspect who has not been identified tried to rape her when she was alone at home.

As she put up a stiff resistance, the boy is reported to have become furious and in order to silence her, he poured kerosene on her and burnt her alive. He then fled from the spot, the Times of India reported.

The girl has sustained fifty percent burn injuries and was admitted to the district hospital. After initial treatment, she was referred to a Bhopal hospital.

The police reportedly suspect that the girl might have attempted to take her own life. Police also said that when the girl's brother came home, the boy was present there.

They believe there is a possibility that the girl is framing the boy, the newspaper reported.

According to police officer Shambhu Singh Ahirwal, both the teenagers knew each other. They have now formed a three-member team to catch the boy. The girl is reported to be a sixth standard dropout, while the boy is said to have studied till class eight.

In an earlier incident, on 14 January, a minor girl was burnt alive after being gang raped by two brothers of the same village in the state of Uttar Pradesh.

The minor girl was alone when the two men entered her house and took turns to rape her. In order to silence her and fearing that the girl might reveal their identities, they poured kerosene on her and burnt her alive. The charred remains of the girl were found in a room.