TNN

Kanpur, Apr 4: In a bizarre case, a teenaged Dalit girl was set afire in her house for resisting rape bid in Bamanpur village under the Ekdil police station in Etawah on Wednesday. The accused is absconding.

"Seventeen years old Anita (name changed), a resident of Bamanpur, was set on fire by a youth for resisting rape attempt. She is battling for life in the Bhimrao Ambedkar Hospital with 60 per cent burns," the police said on Thursday.

According to reports, the incident took place at around 12.30 pm when the accused, identified as Shrawan Kumar of the same village, barged into the girl's room while she was changing after returning from Kabir Public School where she studies in class XI. When she protested, the accused threatened her with dire consequences. He later doused her with kerosene and set her on fire, a police official told TOI. At the time of incident, the girl was all alone in the house. The Ekdil police have registered a case under section 307 of IPC and SC/ST Act. However, the accused is absconding.

A senior police official told TOI that the police are conducting raids at the possible hideouts of the absconding accused.