15-year-old girl set on fire by three men; girl's condition serious

BHUBANESHWAR: A 15-year-old girl was set on fire by a group of three men in Odisha’s Puri district. The incident took place in Balanga while the girl was on her way to a friend’s house. She was dragged to the banks of the Bhargavi River, where the attackers poured petrol on her and set her ablaze.

The girl sustained 70% burns and is currently in critical condition, undergoing treatment at AIIMS Hospital in Bhubaneswar.

Following the incident, the accused fled the scene, and police have launched a manhunt to locate them. Local residents who witnessed the attack rushed to help, extinguished the flames on the girl’s body, and took her to the hospital. Odisha Deputy Chief Minister Pravati Parida stated that the government will bear the cost of the girl’s medical treatment.