Odisha burn case: Man who saved the minor girl recounts horrifying 90 minutes

The man who saved a 15-year-old girl after she was set ablaze by unidentified men in Odisha's Puri recounted the horrific time after the victim knocked on his door screaming for help, TOI reported.

The girl has now been shifted to AIIMS Delhi, where she remains in stable condition with 70-75%burn injuries.

The class 9 girl was reportedly intercepted near a river embarkment, rendered unconscious by a chemical-laced cloth, and doused with kerosene before being set ablaze by masked men.


She fled to the nearby house screaming for help. Dukshishyam Senapati extinguished the flames and gave her fresh clothes.

Recalling the moment, Senapati said he was stunned to find the girl in flames upon opening the door, as he later explained to DGP YB Khurania during the official's site visit.

"It was around 8.30 am when the girl came to my house, screaming. With the help of my wife, I doused the fire and gave her water as she was very thirsty. Later, the women of my family changed her clothes," he said.

The girl told Senapati that she was set ablaze by three men, adding that she was abducted by motorcycle-riding assailants whilst returning from meeting a friend.

"She said she was walking back home after meeting a friend when she was picked up by three men who arrived on motorcycles. The faces of these men were half-covered, and they took her to a place near the Bhargavi riverbank. She could not tell their names. She could only say that they covered her face with a handkerchief and poured some substance before setting her on fire," he said.

Senapati said that although the girl said her hands were tied during the abduction, her hands were free when she arrived. After learning her father's details, he contacted her family.

Senapati tried finding the perpetrators but could not find them. He explained that the attackers fled after setting her alight. However, the girl managed to escape and reach his house.

The girl was at Senapati's residence for around 90 minutes, before she was finally taken to the hospital in an auto due to delayed ambulance response.

The incident has created fear in the village, particularly among children who are now afraid to venture out alone. Senapati urged swift arrest of the culprits.

(With TOI inputs)