Girl, 11, burnt for ‘indecent dressing’, grandpa held

JAIPUR: An eleven-year-old girl was allegedly set afire by a distant maternal grandfather who was reportedly infuriated by her ‘scanty’ dress and use of lipstick.

The incident occurred in Jaipur’s Lal Kothi area on Thursday evening. The child, who suffered 90 per cent burns, is undergoing treatment at the Sawai Man Singh Hospital.
Police are waiting for a medical examination to be conducted on the girl to ascertain if she was raped before she was set on fire.

The girl’s alleged attacker, Salim (55), was arrested soon after the crime came to light on Friday. A case of attempt to murder under section 307 of the Indian Penal Code has been registered against him.

Sanwarmal Nagora, station house officer of the Lal Kothi police station, said, “The girl and her brother had gone to a shop owned by Salim. The old man asked her brother to wait outside and took the girl inside.” The accused then poured kerosene on the girl and set her on fire, Nagora said.

The girl screamed for help. Hearing her shrieks, her brother cried out for help. Neighbours rushed out, covered the girl in blankets, and took her to hospital. One of the rescuers also suffered burns on a hand.