The girl was immediately rushed to a hospital (Representational)

A 17-year-old girl was set ablaze allegedly by a man after she rejected his advances at Semiliguda in Odisha's Koraput district, police said Saturday.

The girl, a second-year engineering (diploma) student, suffered critical burn injuries, they said.

The accused Gopi Khemundu, of Ganjana village, was obsessed with the girl and angry after she turned down his proposal, said Sunabeda Sub-Divisional Police Officer Niranjan Behera.

The girl was staying at a rented accommodation with her friends in Semiliguda and the accused attacked her there Friday afternoon, the SDPO said.

He was carrying a bottle of petrol and set her on fire, Behera said.

"It was a pre-planned attack," the official said.

The girl was immediately rushed to SLN Medical College and Hospital and later shifted to MKCG Medical College and Hospital at Berhampur after her condition deteriorated.

"Separate teams have been formed and efforts are on to arrest the culprit who fled soon after committing the crime," the SDPO added.