Telangana Tribal Girl Set Ablaze By Employer For Resisting Rape; Dies In Hospital

A 13-year-old tribal girl, who was set on fire, allegedly by her employer at his home for resisting a rape attempt, died here on Thursday night while undergoing treatment for nearly a month, police said.

The incident occurred in Khammam town  on September 18 after the girl, a domestic help in the man's house, warded off his attempt to rape her.

"She died on Thursday night while undergoing treatment in a private hospital in Hyderabad," Khammam commissioner of police Tafseer Iqbal told PTI on Friday.

He said some of the Sections under the Indian Penal Code under which the accused was booked would be altered.

He said Section 307 (attempt to murder) would now be altered to Section 302 (murder).

Though the incident took place on September 18, police came to know about it on October 5 after she was admitted to a private hospital here for treatment of burns.

On the day of the incident, the man had tried to molest the girl and she resisted it.

He then doused the girl with petrol and set her ablaze, police had earlier said,adding she suffered 70 per cent burns.

The Telangana State Human Rights Commission (TSHRC) on its own took cognisance of media reports about the incident and sought a report from the Khammam police.

The Commission pointed out lapses on the part of the private hospital where the girl was initially treated without informing the police, and even her family.

It posted the matter to November 6.