Burn victim's fight for survival ends in city hosp

Amravati Harijan, 40, who was doused with petrol and set on fire when she tried to protect her daughter from a man who was sexually harassing her, succumbed to her injuries at Masina Hospital on Friday night.

Complaints were reportedly made to the police as Harijan's daughter, Roshni, was being harassed for a year, but no action was taken.

Police said the accused Deepak Jath, 25, was angry as Harijan assaulted him three months back for trying to sexually harass her daughter Roshni, 18. Pandit Thackeray, Senior Police Inspector, Bandra Police Station, said, "We have arrested the accused. He is in judicial custody under the charges of attempted murder," Thackeray added.

Dr Suhas Abyankar, consultant plastic surgeon at Masina Hospital, said, "She suffered deep burn injuries and respiratory burns. Her respiratory system failed three days back followed by multi-organ failure. She had about 94 per cent burns on her body. She succumbed to her injuries late on Friday night."

Roshni is being helped by Majlis Legal Centre to fight the case as well as to clear the medical bills. Harijan has two other children — Abhishek, 15 and Aditya, 10. Her husband is a gardener.