Police on Thursday arrested the key suspect in an attempted murder case, who, along with his unidentified companion, allegedly set a girl on fire in Muzaffargarh for refusing his marriage proposal.

A first information report (FIR) was registered by the mother of the teenage girl, aged 15 or 16 years, under Sections 324 (attempted murder), 34 (acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention) and 452 (house-trespass after preparation for hurt, assault or wrongful restraint) of the Pakistan Penal Code.

Police said that the victim, whose suffered burn injuries on her face, body and arms, was shifted to Muzzafargarh District Headquarters hospital. According to police, her condition is stable.

According to the FIR, the victim's mother woke up at around 1.30am during the night when she heard her daughter screaming. She said two men were running away after pouring oil on her daughter and setting her on fire.

Other relatives also came to their house and helped put out the fire. She said that they also found a purse with a photo, some money and a chit with two mobile numbers on it.

According to the victim's mother, the suspect and his unidentified companion had set her daughter on fire in an attempt to kill her and ran away from the site of the incident.

She said that the suspect's parents had asked for her daughter's hand in marriage but they had rejected the proposal, alleging it was due to this the suspect and his companion had entered her house and set her daughter on fire.

As per the instructions of District Police Officer (DPO) Sadiq Ali Doggar, the case is being investigated on the basis of merit and is being overseen by Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Jatoi Asif Rasheed, said police spokesperson Wasim Khan Gopang.