Punjab: 12-year-old set on fire after rape, dies

The girl alleged that she was repeatedly raped by a man for eight days before being set on fire.

2 min readLudhianaUpdated: Feb 25, 2016 09:41 PM IST

Family of 12-year old who died after rape and being put on fire, protest in Moti Nagar on Thursday. (Source: Express Photo)

A 12-year-old girl died on Thursday morning after being allegedly set on fire by a 19-year old man, who is also accused of repeatedly raping her in the last eight days.

Sunil, 19, allegedly poured kerosene on the girl last night at her residence in Balwinder Singh ka vehra (one-room houses) in Sherpur area following which she was rushed to Ludhiana Civil Hospital with more than 95 percent burns.

The girl named Sunil in her statement before a magistrate and said that he threatened to kill her if she revealed anything to her parents.

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Speaking to Indian Express, RS Cheema, Assistant commissioner of police (ACP) south, said, “The girl used to stay at home and the accused was teasing her for days. She was being repeatedly raped since 8-10 days and she did not reveal it to her parents. Yesterday, she decided to tell to her parents but before that Sunil poured kerosene on her and set her ablaze.”

The gynecologist, who performed a medical check up before her death, confirmed to the police that the girl was brutally raped.

She was referred to PGIMER Chandigarh after her condition became extremely critical, but succumbed to burn injuries on her way.

Tension gripped Sherpur area after her family blocked traffic and staged protest with the dead body demanding Sunil’s arrest.

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An FIR has been registered at Focal Point police station in which police has booked the father and two brothers of the accused under section 120-B (conspiracy) of IPC. His father Harish and two brothers, Anil and Laxman (aged 19 and 22), have now been arrested. The main accused, Sunil, is still absconding.

Divya Goyal

Divya Goyal is a Principal Correspondent at The Indian Express, based in Ludhiana (Punjab). She is widely recognized for her human-interest storytelling and in-depth investigative reporting on social and political issues in the region. Professional Profile Experience: With over 13 years in journalism, she joined The Indian Express in 2012. She previously worked with Hindustan Times. Education: A gold medalist in English Journalism from the Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC), Delhi. Core Beats: She covers a diverse range of subjects, including gender issues, education, the Sikh diaspora, heritage, and the legacy of the Partition. She has also reported on minority communities in Pakistan and Afghanistan. Awards and Recognition Divya has earned significant acclaim for her sensitivity toward gender and social disparities: Laadli Media Award (2020): For her investigative report "Punjab: The Invisible Drug Addicts," which exposed the gender disparity in treating women addicts. Laadli Media Award (2023): For a ground report on the struggles of two girls who had to ride a boat to reach their school in a border village of Punjab. Signature Style Divya is known for "humanizing the news." Rather than just reporting on policy, she often focuses on the individuals affected by it—such as students dealing with exam stress, farmers struggling with diversification, or families impacted by crime. Her work often bridges the gap between West (Pakistan) and East (India) Punjab, exploring shared heritage and common struggles. X (Twitter): @DivyaGoyal_ ... Read More

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