Girl set ablaze for resisting rape

HOWRAH: An 18-year-old girl was set ablaze allegedly by a 23-year-old man after she resisted his attempts to rape her on Monday. The girl, a resident of Kashi Mondal Lane, in the Belur police station area, suffered nearly 60% burns and is fighting for her life at the T L Jaiswal Hospital.
The accused, Md Imtiaz, is absconding.
According to the girl’s relatives, Imtiaz had been stalking and teasing the girl for some time.She informed her relatives and they, along with neighbours, spoke to Imtiaz and his family. Imtiaz was asked by the girl’s relatives not to bother her in future. He was miffed by this and turned up at her house around 8am on Monday. The girl was alone at home. She told doctors and the police that the man attempted to rape her. When she resisted, he emptied a bottle of petrol on her and lit a match.
“We are investigating. The girl said she was set ablaze after she resisted Imtiaz’s attempts to sexually abuse her. The accused is absconding and we are trying to track him down,” said Srihari Pandey, additional deputy commissioner, north, Howrah City Police.