18-yr-old woman set on fire in UP

In a shocking incident, an 18-year old Dalit girl was burnt alive in Uttar Pradesh's Unnao district.

The teen was on her way to the local market, about 500 metres from her village in Barasagwar area late on Thursday evening when some unidentified assailants pounced on her and dragged her toward the fields and burnt her alive.

According to the eyewitnesses, the victim, who was in flames, ran towards the market but fell on the ground after a short distance.

The victim, who had suffered 100% burn injuries, was rushed to the district hospital but was declared brought dead, the police said here.

A police team, which reached the spot later, recovered an empty can of petrol, a bundle of matchsticks and the girl's bicycle, sources said.

Eyewitnesses claimed that the assailants had followed the girl in a car and pounced on her as she reached a secluded area on the village road. Police have ruled out sexual assault.

The police officials said that an enmity with the family of the girl could be the reason behind the incident. ''We are exploring all angles...it seems to be the fall out of some old enmity with the family of the victim,'' said a senior police official in Unnao on Friday.

Tension prevailed in the area following the incident and security personnel in strength had been deployed at the village as a precautionary measure, the officials said.