After battling for her life for five days, a teacher of Odisha who was set on fire for allegedly refusing to withdraw a complaint of molestation, died at a hospital in neighbouring Andhra Pradesh today.
The 36-year-old teacher admitted to a hospital in Visakhapatnam with 90 per cent burns after being set on fire by a miscreant on Sunday night, died during the day, Rayagada District Education Officer Premananda Rout said.
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik announced Rs ten lakh ex-gratia for the teacher's family and said that the trial of the case would be conducted by a fast-track court.
Patnaik had earlier termed the incident, which had led to a public outcry, barbaric and inhuman.
The police had on October 30 arrested suspended sub-inspector of schools Netranand Dandsena for allegedly molesting the teacher.
They said that the teacher was set on fire allegedly by someone hired by Dandsena after she refused to withdraw the case of molestation against him.
Assistant Sub-Inspector of Police M D Pradhan and district inspector of schools D D Behera were placed under suspension following the incident.
Pradhan was suspended as he had failed to arrest Dandasena for the alleged molestation.
Though the case was lodged against Dandasena on July 18 he was not arrested in time, police sources said.
The teacher from Delang area in Puri district, was posted in an upper primary school at Tikri in Rayagada district.
