A woman died after being raped and burnt by a man in Odisha's Balasore district November last year, her mother alleged Sunday. The daily wage earner, a resident of Soro, 170 km from here, said her 20-year-old daughter had gone to the house of a family friend at Teliaganj, a nearby village on an invitation Nov 4.

A mason, who was in the house, raped her at night when she went to bed. After raping her, the accused allegedly poured kerosene on her and set her on fire to give an impression of suicide. The victim died in a local hospital two days later, she said.

The woman's mother said she moved the Odisha High Court this week, seeking justice. "The woman was in a relationship with the man. She appeared to have committed suicide after he refused to marry her. Investigation is still on," district Superintendent of Police Amrita Das told IANS.