An 18-year-old girl was set ablaze on Friday by a man after she was reportedly raped on Thursday night in Chatra district.
The girl is battling for life at a hospital with 98% burns. The accused is on the run.
The rape accused, along with his friends, stormed into the house of the girl and assaulted her parents before reportedly setting her on fire, police said.
The victim's family lodged a complaint with the local panchayat. A panchayat was convened on Friday in the village and a fine of Rs 30,000 was imposed on the accused. The panchayat had also ordered the accused to do 100 sit-ups before it, police sources said. However, the accused refused to obey the directive and, instead, barged into the house of the girl, along with his friends, sources said.
Asked if the girl was in a relationship with the accused, police said they were investigating the case from all angles.
Deccan Herald is on WhatsApp Channels| Join now for Breaking News & Editor's Picks