Youth kills girl by setting her afire in Andhra Pradesh

Amaravati, Dec 9: In a shocking incident, a youth killed a 17-year-old girl by setting her ablaze after pouring petrol on her in Andhra Pradesh’s Nandyal district.

The incident occurred at a house in Nandikotkur town of the district in the early hours of Monday. The victim was asleep in her house when the accused resorted to the ghastly crime.

Noticing the commotion, neighbours rushed to the house and found the victim in flames. She died on the spot. The neighbours thrashed the accused, who is also reported to have suffered burn injuries.

According to locals, the accused was allegedly harassing the girl in the name of love. Allegedly irked over the girl not reciprocating his love, the boy poured petrol on her and set her ablaze.

The victim was a student in the intermediate second year (class 12) at a private college in the town. Her parents had sent her to the house of her grandparents from Samarlakota as the accused was stalking her.

The girl was residing in a separate room within the house of her grandparents. The accused barged into the room past midnight and committed the ghastly crime. Police were also trying to ascertain if the boy tried self-immolation after setting the girl ablaze or if he sustained injuries while lighting the fire.

Police arrested the accused and shifted him to the Government Hospital in Kurnool, where his condition is stated to be critical.

Andhra Pradesh has witnessed similar horrific crimes against women and children in recent times.

According to the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), crimes against women in Andhra Pradesh surged by 43 per cent in 2022. The state was in sixth place in the country in crimes against women.

Voicing concern over the growing crimes against women, Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu stressed the need for setting up special courts for speedy trials of such offences.

After the gang-rape of a woman and her daughter-in-law in Sri Sathya Sai district, the Chief Minister had said that the government would appeal to Andhra Pradesh High Court to constitute special courts to deal with such cases so that the culprits could be brought to book at the earliest.