What Led to the Tragic Death of a Class 8 Girl in Odisha?

Bhubaneswar, Aug 11 (NationPress) In a heartbreaking incident of self-immolation reported in Odisha, a 13-year-old girl tragically lost her life after allegedly setting herself ablaze in Phiringimala village, located in Bargarh district, on Monday.

According to reports, the girl was found partially burned in a field adjacent to her uncle's residence at Phiringimala village under the jurisdiction of Gaisilet police in the morning.

She was swiftly transported to VSS Medical College and Hospital in Sambalpur district for specialized medical care.

Sadly, she succumbed to her severe burn injuries while receiving treatment at the medical facility that afternoon, as confirmed by Abilash G., the Superintendent of Police in Bargarh district.

He stated, “The victim is a minor. Her family has filed a report asserting that she self-immolated. Based on their statement, we have initiated an Unnatural Death case. The inquest and post-mortem are currently underway, and we are analyzing the circumstances surrounding her death. The police have also confiscated a video containing her statement made after the incident,” remarked Abilash.

It is noteworthy that the victim, while being rushed to the hospital post-rescue, allegedly informed locals that she had taken this drastic action due to a conflict involving one of her friends, though she did not reveal the friend's identity.

The video documenting her remarks has circulated widely on social media, prompting police to secure it for investigation.

Enrolled as a Class 8 student at a nearby Ashram School, she had visited her uncle's home recently, reportedly due to health complications.

Her father, a migrant worker, is employed at a private firm in Tamil Nadu.

In a statement to the press, Inspector General of Police (Northern Range) Himansu Kumar Lal declared, “An investigation has commenced. We are committed to taking appropriate legal action.”

This marks the fourth such case in recent weeks, following an incident where a female student from Fakir Mohan Autonomous College set herself ablaze near the principal's office due to alleged sexual harassment from a faculty member on July 12. That student, suffering from over 90% burns, tragically passed away at AIIMS, Bhubaneswar, on July 14.

Additionally, another minor girl was reportedly set on fire by three unidentified assailants on a motorcycle in the Balanga area of Puri district on July 19. Despite extensive medical efforts, the 16-year-old victim succumbed to her injuries after a 14-day battle for survival at AIIMS, Delhi.

On August 6, a 20-year-old female student also reportedly died after self-immolating in her residence in the Pattamundai area of Kendrapara district.