• Source:JND
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The 15-year-old girl who was set on fire by three miscreants in the Balanga area of Puri district in Odisha was seen running through a neighbourhood with her hands tied and mouth gagged with a handkerchief after she was put afire, NDTV reported, citing eyewitnesses. 

An eyewitness who helped douse the fire and contacted the minor’s family, Dukhishyam Senapati, recounted the horrifying scene and said, "The girl was on fire when she came running towards my house. Her hands were tied and she had suffered serious burns. My wife, daughter and I doused the flames and gave her new clothes. Then, I spoke to her. She told me she lived in a nearby village,” the report added. 

The eyewitness account revealed that they did not hear the girl’s scream as her hands were tied and her mouth gagged, while her eyes screamed for help as she ran through the neighbourhood. 

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As per the initial probe, it was reported that the teen was met with the horrifying crime while she was on her way to her friend’s place when three assailants stopped her, took her to an isolated place near the riverbank and set her on fire. The girl fortunately managed to escape and started running while she was still on fire. The minor has suffered nearly 75 per cent burns and was airlifted to AIIMS Delhi from AIIMS Bhubaneswar on Sunday for further treatment. 

The criminals are on the run, as the probe into the matter is underway. 

Mr Senapati said the girl was in a lot of pain and could only tell him that three men had set her on fire. "I also went and looked around for the attackers, but they had fled. I then contacted the girl's family and called the police. We then took her to the nearby community health centre from where she was shifted to AIIMS Bhubaneswar," he said.

The incident came to light days after a college student in Balasore district of Odisha attempted self-immolation, alleging that she was subjected to sexual harassment by a staff member, and authorities did not entertain her complaint. She succumbed to her injuries during the treatment at AIIMS Bhubaneswar.