A minor girl was set on fire by a man who was denied her mobile number

In a horrific incident, a man set a girl ablaze when she repeatedly denied his request to share her mobile number. 

 

On Tuesday evening, Mohammad Shai visited the house of his minor Dalit neighbour and allegedly, pressurised her to give him her mobile number. According to the police, when the girl refused to give in to his demands and disclose her number, he reportedly, first thrashed her and then sprinkled kerosene over her body and set her on fire.

 

The neighbours, who reached there on hearing the girl's cry for help, extinguished the fire, and rushed her to a nearby hospital. Shai, who tried to flee from the spot, was nabbed by the locals and was beaten up before being admitted to Sadar hospital. 

 

After preliminary treatment, the victim was referred to a government hospital in Varanasi as she reportedly sustained 80% burn injuries. A case has been registered by the police under sections of the POCSO Act, SC/ST Act and IPC.

 

The incident, which took place at her house in Fariha village in Azamgarh district of Varanasi, has come as a shocker to many and a huge force has been deployed in the region in order to avoid any sort of communal tension.