A 15-year-old girl, set ablaze in Odisha's Puri, was airlifted from AIIMS Bhubaneswar to Delhi on Sunday. Odisha DGP YB Khurania immediately visited the crime scene, stating the investigation is at a sensitive stage and details will follow soon
An ambulance carrying the 15-year-old girl, who was undergoing treatment at AIIMS Bhubaneswar after three miscreants set her ablaze in Odisha's Puri district, being taken via a green corridor to the Biju Patnaik International Airport to be airlifted to Delhi. Pic/PTI
A 15-year-old girl, who was receiving treatment at AIIMS Bhubaneswar after being set ablaze by three miscreants in Odisha's Puri district, was airlifted to Delhi on Sunday, officials confirmed, reported news agency PTI.
Soon after the girl's transfer to Delhi, Odisha DGP YB Khurania visited the crime scene on the bank of the Bhargavi river in the Balanga area of Puri district. "The investigation has reached a sensitive stage and we will be able to provide details of the incident very soon," Khurania told reporters at Balanga.
His visit to the crime spot followed a gathering by the opposition BJD at the Balanga Police Station, where they demanded the arrest of the culprits within 48 hours and threatened to block the national highway passing through Bhubaneswar, PTI reported.
Woman BJD leader and former minister Tukuni Sahoo alleged that the police remained clueless about the accused persons even 36 hours after the incident.
Earlier in the day, a 'green corridor' was established to transport the patient from AIIMS Bhubaneswar to Biju Patnaik International Airport, with one platoon of police force deployed. "It took around 12 minutes to reach the airport from AIIMS Bhubaneswar. She was taken in an advanced life support ambulance with a dedicated medical team," said Traffic DCP Tapan Kumar Mohanty. A green corridor in healthcare context refers to a special, cleared-out route for ambulances transporting organs for transplantation or severely ill patients to reach their destination in the shortest possible time, PTI reported.
The girl, who suffered 70 per cent burns, was on oxygen support in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at the Department of Burn Centre in AIIMS Bhubaneswar. The patient was moved to Delhi after AIIMS Bhubaneswar Executive Director Ashutosh Biswas informed reporters that her condition was stable, and her blood pressure, which had been low the previous day, had improved, making her transfer safe.
Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi had stated on Saturday that the state government was planning to airlift the minor to Delhi for enhanced treatment. Majhi, however, had clarified that AIIMS Bhubaneswar authorities would make the final decision based on her health condition.
As the victim was able to speak on Saturday, police recorded her statement in the presence of a magistrate at the ICU. An official noted that her statement is vital for the investigation, PTI reported.
After inspecting the spot, accompanied by Central Range IG S Praveen Kumar and Puri SP Pinak Mishra, the DGP proceeded to the Bhargavi river bank and examined the location where the trio had poured inflammable substances on the girl and set her on fire.
"Apart from police, two scientific teams, one from the State Forensic Science Laboratory and another from the AIIMS Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, have visited the spot and collected several pieces of evidence relating to the crime. The investigation is ongoing and police will soon get details," the DGP affirmed. Sources further indicated that police have interrogated at least 10 people over the last 36 hours, including some women and the victim's family members.
"The police have got some clue, but it is too early to reach any conclusion now," an official said, adding that the incident occurred barely 400 metres from the girl's residence. Preliminary police investigation revealed that three motorcycle-borne youths intercepted the teenager, forcibly took her to the banks of the Bhargavi River near Bayabar village in the Balanga police station area, poured an inflammable substance on her, and set her on fire on Saturday. The miscreants fled the scene after the incident, police stated.
Local people doused the flames and took her to Pipili government hospital, from where she was transferred to AIIMS Bhubaneswar and, on Sunday, to AIIMS, Delhi, PTI reported.
The girl sustained 70 per cent burn injuries. Her mother had lodged an FIR with Balanga police station on Saturday, officials confirmed, adding that the victim was a Class 8 dropout and her father works at a motor garage.
(With inputs from PTI)
Subscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest news!" Click here!
