Puri Burn Case: In a significant twist to the Puri burn case, Odisha Police have stated that no one else was involved in the incident that led to the death of a 15-year-old girl who succumbed to severe burn injuries at AIIMS Delhi. The girl, from the Balanga area of Puri district, had suffered 75% burns and was initially treated at AIIMS Bhubaneswar before being airlifted to the national capital.
Despite best efforts by doctors and support from the state government, the teenager could not be saved, Chief Minister Mohan Majhi confirmed. “Her life could not be saved,” he said on Saturday.
Shortly after the announcement, the Odisha Police revealed that their investigation had reached its final stage and claimed that, based on current findings, no other person was involved. However, the police did not clarify how the girl sustained such extensive injuries. “We request everyone not to make any sensitive comments regarding this matter during this tragic moment,” their statement added.
Eye witnesses and FIR Pointed to Assault by Three Men
The police’s updated stance sharply contradicts earlier eyewitness accounts and formal allegations. On July 19, the girl was reportedly set on fire by three unidentified men near a riverbank. According to local resident Dukhishyam Senapati, the girl arrived at his home with her hands tied and flames engulfing her body.
ALSO READ: Stampede during Rath Yatra in Puri claims three lives
“The girl was on fire when she came running towards my house. Her hands were tied. She had suffered serious burns. My wife, daughter, and I doused the flames and gave her new clothes. She told me that three men on two bikes forcibly brought her here, poured kerosene, and set her on fire,” he recounted.
The girl’s mother also echoed this claim in the FIR she filed, alleging that three unknown individuals were responsible for the attack.
The contradiction between the police’s current claim and earlier testimonies has sparked confusion and concern across Odisha, where the incident had already triggered public protests and calls for justice.
As the investigation nears its conclusion, many await further clarification from authorities on the cause of the teen’s fatal injuries, and whether justice will be served.
