In a shocking incident, a youth on Wednesday shot at a 16-year-old girl with a country rifle for rejecting his advances. The victim, who received injuries in the legs, has been declared out of danger.

Bhupati (22) of Yanadi Colony village of Ramakuppam mandal near Kuppam, who rears sheep, has been after the girl, Satya, for the last several months, requesting her to marry him. Satya, a school dropout, apparently spurned the offer.

Bhupati on Wednesday approached Satya, who was rearing cattle near the colony and compelled her to follow him to a temple, where he wanted to marry her. When the girl started calling her parents for help, Bhupati pulled out a country rifle, which was wrapped in a piece of cloth, and opened fire on her. Almost half-a-dozen pellets pierced her legs, while Bhupati fled the scene. Villagers who heard Satya shriek in agony rushed her to the Government Hospital at Kuppam. The Ramakuppam Sub-Inspector said the girl’s parents had lodged a complaint against Bhupati. “The girl is safe, as only a few small balls had hit her in the firing,” he said. Bhupati has been arrested and booked under relevant sections of the IPC and Arms Act.