Teenage rape survivor sets herself ablaze after being harassed by rapists

A teenage rape survivor in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh set herself ablaze after being harassed by her rapists for months.

The incident occurred in the state's Farrukhabad district on November 7, when the girl's parents had gone out for work. The 16-year-old suffered burn injuries on nearly 70% of her body after she poured diesel on herself and set herself on fire.

She was first rushed to a local hospital, but her situation was so serious that she had to be moved to New Delhi's Safdarjung Hospital where she is still being treated for her burn injuries.

She decided to try to take her own life as her rapists were pressuring her to marry one of them and withdraw the cases against them. The two accused, who had been out on bail since August, were threatening her and her family with severe consequences if she did not withdraw the case.

"The two people who raped me are threatening me to marry either of them and withdraw the rape case or they will do something to me after which I will not be able to marry anyone," Indian publication Firstpost quoted the girl as saying.

"You tell me how could I have done this? How can I make the person who played with my honour as my husband? How would you spend life with him? That's why I decided to die."

According to local media reports, the teenage girl was raped in January 2021 when she went out to relieve herself.

In a police statement, she said that she was on her way back when the two accused abducted her, took her to an isolated place, and raped her. The girl was later found in an unconscious state by the villagers.

The police arrested the two accused, and they were later sent to judicial custody. However, they got out on bail and have been threatening the girl and her family since then.

The police have now launched an investigation into the matter, and the accused will be charged soon, according to Superintendent of Police Ashok Kumar Meena.