Andhra teenager dies after stalker sets her on fire for refusing

Raghavendra chased the victim for three years, but she refused

Hyderabad:

A 17-year-old girl died in Andhra Pradesh’s Nandyala district after a 21-year-old man set her on fire because she rejected his advances. News agency PTI reported that accused Raghavendra suffered 70 percent burns due to the fire he started. The police took him into custody.

According to the police, Raghavendra had been proposing to the victim for over three years, but she had rejected his advances. Her family living in Kakinada district sent her to her grandparents’ house in Nandyala. But Raghavendra chased her there.

Late on Monday evening, Raghavendra reached the victim’s grandparents’ house and knocked on the door of the room where the girl was sleeping. As soon as she opened the door, he walked in and locked it from the inside. Then he doused her with gasoline and set her on fire. Raghavendra allegedly gagged her so that she could not scream for help.

“She was staying with her grandparents in Nandikotkuru. There was a commotion around 4 a.m. and he (Raghavendra) came out with severe burns. By that time, the girl was completely burnt,” a police official told news agency PTI. Initially, Raghavendra claimed it was an “accident”. He later tried to escape, but locals caught him and handed him over to the police. He is currently undergoing treatment for serious burns.

Forensic teams visited the spot and collected samples. Police said they were investigating all aspects of this shocking incident. Andhra Pradesh Home Minister Anitha V has asked the police to form several teams to investigate the case. She also spoke to Nandyal Police Chief Adhiraj Singh Rana over phone and summarized the investigation findings so far.