Teen who attempted suicide, dies of burns

A 17-year-old girl who had attempted suicide by self-immolation on September 2, fearing acid attack by a PU student, died at a private hospital in the city on Wednesday.

Soundarya, a second year PU student at JSS College in the city had set herself ablaze at her house at Ankanahalli in Hunsur taluk. Soundarya’s parents had lodged a complaint with the Bilikere police that she tried to kill herself after a second year PU student of Hardwick College in Mysuru threatened to attack her with acid for rejecting his proposal.

According to police, the boy is a resident of Manuganahalli near Ankanahalli in Hunsur taluk. The girl and the boy, who belong to different castes used to travel to Mysuru from their respective villages to attend college everyday.

A relative of Soundarya said the boy was torturing her for the past three months to accept his love. She had not revealed the matter to her parents owing to her father’s ill health. Soundarya had told her parents that she would discontinue her studies but had not revealed the reason for it. The boy is said to have threatened that he would attack her parents and sister with acid.

Soundarya’s parents claimed that the Bilikere police have not taken any action against the boy even after the complaint. The police said that they have recorded the girl’s statement immediately after she was hospitalised and, are on the lookout for the boy.

Hunsur tahsildar had visited the hospital to record Soundarya’s statement. It is said that Soundarya had named the boy and stated that he had threatened her. She had also named a minor girl for forcing her to accept the boy’s proposal.