Girl Sets Self On Fire Over "Harassment" By Neighbours: Madhya Pradesh Cops

A 16-year-old girl committed suicide by setting herself ablaze alleging harassment by some neighbours in Madhya Pradesh's Jabalpur district, police said on Wednesday.

The police have arrested five persons, including two minors, in connection with the girl's death on Tuesday night, an official said.

The girl who died, her father has named several people, who allegedly harassed her after clicking pictures of her at knife point and claimed that the police did not act on her complaint.

The victim, a resident of Ranjhi locality, died while undergoing treatment for burn injuries at the medical college hospital late on Tuesday night, City Superintendent of Police (CSP) MP Prajapati said.

A suicide note was recovered from the girl's house, based on which the police arrested Asha Khanna, Tanvi Kewat and Mamta Kewat and two minor boys, he said.

The CSP, however, refuted the allegation of non-cooperation by the police, as stated by the girl in her suicide note.

The victim's neighbour's had lodged a complaint against her father for beating them up on September 24 and a case in this regard is under judicial process, he said.

Meanwhile, the girl's father told reporters that he had lodged a complaint about two and a half months ago about teasing and harassment by the accused.

He further claimed that before setting herself ablaze, the victim had spent three hours in the police station, but the police did not register a complaint.

The accused clicked pictures of the girl on her way to school and started blackmailing her and extorted money, he alleged.

Speaking about the allegations made by the girl in the suicide note and questions being raised about police inaction, Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) Sanjay Agrawal said the girl had gone to the police station and informed that the complainant in the case against her father wanted to compromise.

Since the case was registered under the SC/ST Act and the case is being heard by the court, it was not under the police's capacity to proceed in this matter, he said.

As per preliminary information, the victim was having an affair with a minor boy and this was a reason for dispute her father and the boy's family, the official said.

The girl's father had beaten up the boy's family in September and a case was registered, he added.