A 15-year-old Class 12 student was brutally set on fire by three unidentified men in Odisha’s Puri district on Saturday morning, leaving her with severe burn injuries. The horrific incident occurred around 8:30 am in Bayabar village under Balanga police station, near the Bhargavi River, as the girl was walking to a friend’s house 1.5 km from the local police station to deliver books.

Eyewitnesses reported that the attackers intercepted the girl on a desolate stretch, poured petrol on her, and set her ablaze before fleeing. Locals, alerted by her screams and the sight of flames, extinguished the fire and rushed her to Pipili Community Health Centre. Due to the severity of her burns—over 40% on her hands, legs, and torso—she was transferred to AIIMS Bhubaneswar, where she remains in critical but stable condition.

Odisha Deputy Chief Minister Pravati Parida, overseeing the Women and Child Development Department, expressed shock and grief, stating on X, “I am saddened and shocked to hear the news that a fifteen-year-old girl was set on fire by some miscreants in Balanga, Puri district.” She assured that the state government will cover all treatment costs and has directed police to arrest the culprits swiftly for strict action.

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The motive remains unclear, with the victim’s family ruling out personal enmity or romantic disputes. Balanga police, supported by senior Puri district officers, have launched a manhunt, conducting raids and analyzing CCTV footage from the area. The incident, occurring days after a student’s self-immolation in Balasore over ignored harassment complaints, has intensified public outrage and scrutiny of women’s safety in Odisha, where 3,054 rape cases were reported in 2024.

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