Odisha gang rape victim dies of burn injuries

A minor orphan girl, who was gang-raped and had tried to immolate herself in Odisha's Rayagada district a fortnight ago, died in Visakhapatanam on Tuesday.

"The girl passed away around 3.45 pm in a private hospital at Visakhapatanam where she was under treatment," said Rayagada District Collector S S Padhi.

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has announced Rs 10 lakh as assistance to the family of the girl. Her parents had passed away and she used to live with her grandmother.

The 16-year-old was gang-raped by four persons in a jungle when she was returning home from work on January 2. She had tried to immolate herself the next day and had suffered over 80 per cent burns.

The girl was subsequently admitted to the Visakhapatnam hospital on January 7.

The four accused have been arrested on the basis of the statement of the girl.

Patnaik, while assuring that the state government was taking a number of steps so that such crimes do not go unpunished, said stringent action would be initiated against the perpetrators as it was a heinous crime.