A minor dalit girl, who was set ablaze after attempted rape for rejecting advances, died after struggling for survival for twelve days at a hospital here, triggering public protests and demands for the resignation of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik.
"The girl breathed her last at the Capital Hospital last night," local police station in-charge officer Asim Panda said.
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik announced Rs 10 lakh ex-gratia for the family of the victim.
The girl, from Kharinasi village under Mahakalpara block in Kendrapara district struggled for survival for 12 days at the SCB Medical College Hospital in Cuttack after being set ablaze on July 28, police sources said.
Doctors at hospital took her by ambulance to the Bhubaneswar airport last night to fly her to the Safdarjung Hospital in Delhi, but the attempt failed after victim's condition deteriorated, the sources said
The girl, a 7th standard student, was then rushed to Capital Hospital here where she died.
The police arrested 21-year-old Eakadashi Das and 20-year-old Pradip Das for setting the girl ablaze and for attempted rape, sub-divisional police officer, Human Rights cell, Kendrapara, Shantanu Kumar Padhee said.
They were arrested under section 307 (attempt to murder) and 376 (rape) of IPC.
"Following the death of the girl, we slapped section 302 of IPC (murder) against them," he said.
The SDPO said that the dying declaration of the girl was recorded in the presence of a magistrate.
Another person was also involved, he said.
