BHUBANESWAR/ROURKELA: Fifteen-year-old Tapaswini Rana, who was set on fire for resisting eve-teasing in Kalahandi’s Narla, lost her battle with life at Ispat General Hospital (IGH) in Rourkela on the wee hours of Tuesday even as her father demanded that capital punishment be handed out to the killers.
Tapaswini, a Class X student, had suffered close to 95 per cent burn injuries after the two main accused - Bulu Das and Shyama Sahu - poured kerosene and set her ablaze after she protested their lewd gestures and vulgar comments in their village Madhupur on January 11.
She was shifted to IGH from VIMSAR, Burla on Friday. At 4.10 am on Tuesday, she breathed her last.While the incident has now been upgraded into a murder case, the Crime Branch, which is investigating into the matter, secured a five-day remand of the main accused duo on the day. The probe agency also pressed a third team for the probe. A team, led by an SP-ranked officer, will reach Bhawanipatna on Wednesday to quiz Bulu and Shyama, Special DG (Crime) Bijay Sharma said.
Though there are no eye-witnesses in the case, the Crime Branch has secured dying declaration of Tapaswini which will prove crucial for the case. The entire statement was recorded in presence of a magistrate and videographed while thumb impression of the victim has also been collected.
Sharma said, the case has been assigned Red Flag status and its investigation would be monitored on a regular basis. A special public prosecutor would also be appointed to expedite the trial. MORE: P6