A 14-year-old Dalit girl who suffered burn injuries last month after she was set afire by a youth and his friend over unrequited love, succumbed to injuries this evening as she was being readied to be airlifted to New Delhi's Safdarjung Hospital.

On July 28, the girl from Mahakalpara block in coastal Kendrapara district was locked in a room and set afire by an 18-year-old youth and his friend. SCB Medical College and Hospital sources said the girl was taken to Bhubaneswar airport this evening, from where she would have been airlifted to Safdarjung Hospital by a special Air Ambulance but her condition worsened and she died before she could be taken to Capital Hospital here.

Her face and respiratory system were badly burnt. A four-member team of doctors, along with three family members, were supposed to accompany the victim to Safdarjung.

The youth was reportedly enraged over unrequited love of the victim's elder sister who got married 3 months ago and proposed marriage to the minor girl on July 18, which she refused.

On July 18, the youth locked her in a room and set her afire after pouring kerosene on her.

The girl, a student of Class VII in local school, had 65 per cent burn injuries and was in the burns ward and then the plastic surgery ward of SCB Medical College and Hospital, Cuttack, since July 29.

The hospital staff reportedly demanded a bribe to dress her wounds. There were also allegations of negligence in treatment.

Police have arrested main accused Pradip Das and his friend Ekadashi Das. It was yet to be ascertained whether they sexually assaulted the girl.

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