A 15-year-old girl from Bayabar village in Odisha’s Puri district remains in critical condition after she was allegedly set on fire by three unidentified men on Saturday morning. The brutal incident has sparked political uproar and widespread condemnation amid rising concerns over women's safety in the state.
According to local police and official sources, the attack occurred around 9:00 am while the girl was returning from a friend’s house. Preliminary investigations revealed that three motorcycle-borne youths intercepted her, forcibly dragged her to the banks of the Bhargavi River, poured an inflammable substance, believed to be petrol, on her, and set her ablaze. The site of the incident is approximately 1.5 km from her home in Nuagopalpur Bustee and 5–7 km from the Balanga police station.
Local residents rushed to her aid, doused the flames, and initially took her to the government hospital in Pipili. Due to the severity of her injuries, approximately 70 percent burns, she was shifted to AIIMS Bhubaneswar, where she remains in a critical condition but is reportedly able to speak.
A 14-member medical team at AIIMS, comprising specialists from multiple departments including medicine, pulmonary medicine, gynecology, nephrology, and cardiology, has been formed to oversee her treatment.
Investigation Underway
Puri Superintendent of Police Pinak Mishra confirmed that a full-scale investigation is underway. Forensic teams, including a dog squad, have been deployed at the crime scene. Pipili SDPO Debasish Mishra stated that two police teams have been constituted to trace the accused, and CCTV footage from nearby homes is being examined. Police have recovered a bottle suspected to have contained the inflammable liquid used in the attack.
No arrests have been made so far, though Odisha Director General of Police Y B Khurania assured that the culprits would be apprehended soon. “This is a sensitive incident. The police will explore all legal possibilities to ensure the accused are punished,” he said.
The girl’s father, an automobile repair worker, has filed an FIR at Balanga police station. According to police, the girl had dropped out of school after Class 8.
Odisha Deputy Chief Minister and Minister for Women and Child Development, Pravati Parida, visited the girl at AIIMS and confirmed that the state government will cover all medical expenses. In a post on X, she wrote,
“I am saddened and shocked to hear the news that some miscreants at Balanga in Puri district poured petrol on a fifteen-year-old girl and set her on fire. The police administration has been directed to arrest the culprits immediately and take strict action.”
Political and Public Outrage
The incident has triggered a political firestorm. The Trinamool Congress (TMC) sharply condemned the attack, calling it “criminal negligence” by the BJP-led Odisha government and accusing the ruling party of prioritising political vendettas over public safety.
In a post on X, the party stated, “A 15-year-old girl in Puri was set on fire by 3 miscreants in broad daylight! @BJP4India, where is your Beti Bachao slogan now? Where is @NCWIndia hiding? Or are they too busy witch-hunting opposition voices instead of protecting India’s daughters? This isn’t governance. It’s criminal negligence. PM @narendramodi, blood is on your hands!”
The TMC’s remarks came just a day after Prime Minister Modi, during a rally in Durgapur, West Bengal, had accused the TMC of failing to protect women in that state, highlighting cases of rape and murder. The timing of the Puri incident has led to fresh accusations of political double standards and “witch-hunting” of opposition parties while crimes against women escalate in BJP-ruled states.
Opposition parties in Odisha, including the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) and the Congress, have also condemned the incident. Former Chief Minister and BJD supremo Naveen Patnaik expressed deep anguish,
“Such unthinkable incidents against women are now being reported almost daily across Odisha. These are not stray cases of violence. These incidents occurring with shocking regularity point to a deep systemic failure of governance,” he said.
He linked the case to other recent tragedies, including the July 12 self-immolation of a 20-year-old FM College student in Balasore, who died on July 14 after allegedly being denied justice in a sexual harassment case.
Patnaik further said, “It also shows how Odisha is becoming highly unsafe for women due to government inaction and political patronage. Will the Odisha govt wake up from its deep slumber and take speedy action so that the criminals are arrested? The girls and women of Odisha await a response.”
Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) president Bhakta Charan Das echoed the sentiment, accusing the state government of apathy,
“Even though such incidents keep happening repeatedly, the government and administration have turned into mere spectators. Criminals no longer fear the government, administration, or police.”
Members of Congress and BJD visited AIIMS Bhubaneswar to meet the victim’s family. Senior Congress leader Srikant Jena stated, “She is currently under treatment... we pray for her speedy recovery.”
Meanwhile, National Students' Union of India (NSUI) activists staged protests in Bhubaneswar and other locations.
As of now, the National Commission for Women (NCW) has not issued an official statement regarding the Puri incident. Women’s rights groups across the state and nation have voiced alarm at what they call a disturbing pattern of violence against women and girls in Odisha.
