<p>A woman teacher in Odisha's Rayagada district died Friday, four days after she was set ablaze by an unidentified assailant for allegedly refusing to withdraw a sexual assault complaint.<br /><br /></p>.<p>"She succumbed to her injuries at a private hospital in Visakhapatnam in the neighbouring state of Andhra Pradesh where she was undergoing treatment. Her condition was critical," district Superintendent of Police Rajesh Pandit told IANS.<br /><br />Itishree Pradhan, 28, was set on fire on the night of Oct 27 after she reportedly refused to withdraw a complaint of sexual assault against local school inspector Netrananda Dandsena in July.<br /><br />The incident took place in a residential government school at Tikiri in Rayagada district, about 420 km from state capital Bhubaneswar.<br /><br />She was watching a television show along with some children when the assailant entered the school room, poured kerosene on her and set her on fire.<br /><br />Pradhan had sustained more than 90 percent burn injuries.<br /><br />The district administration has suspended Dandsena, a district inspector of schools, and also a police officer who was investigating the case.<br /><br />Dandsena had been absconding ever since Pradhan filed a complaint with the police against him in July this year.<br /><br />A committee against sexual harassment at the work place, which probed the allegation, had found Dandsena guilty and recommended action against him.<br /><br />Police arrested Dandsena Wednesday and are investigating if he set the teacher on fire himself or whether he had hired someone to commit the crime.<br /></p>
<p>A woman teacher in Odisha's Rayagada district died Friday, four days after she was set ablaze by an unidentified assailant for allegedly refusing to withdraw a sexual assault complaint.<br /><br /></p>.<p>"She succumbed to her injuries at a private hospital in Visakhapatnam in the neighbouring state of Andhra Pradesh where she was undergoing treatment. Her condition was critical," district Superintendent of Police Rajesh Pandit told IANS.<br /><br />Itishree Pradhan, 28, was set on fire on the night of Oct 27 after she reportedly refused to withdraw a complaint of sexual assault against local school inspector Netrananda Dandsena in July.<br /><br />The incident took place in a residential government school at Tikiri in Rayagada district, about 420 km from state capital Bhubaneswar.<br /><br />She was watching a television show along with some children when the assailant entered the school room, poured kerosene on her and set her on fire.<br /><br />Pradhan had sustained more than 90 percent burn injuries.<br /><br />The district administration has suspended Dandsena, a district inspector of schools, and also a police officer who was investigating the case.<br /><br />Dandsena had been absconding ever since Pradhan filed a complaint with the police against him in July this year.<br /><br />A committee against sexual harassment at the work place, which probed the allegation, had found Dandsena guilty and recommended action against him.<br /><br />Police arrested Dandsena Wednesday and are investigating if he set the teacher on fire himself or whether he had hired someone to commit the crime.<br /></p>