Meerut: Repeatedly harassed by local youths, a 16-year-old girl from Meerut’s Sardhana area attempted suicide by setting herself on fire on Friday morning. She was rushed to a primary health centre (PHC) from where she was referred to the district hospital. Doctors at the facility said the minor has suffered 70% burn injuries and her condition continues to be critical.The girl was often harassed by the youths on her way to tuition classes. According to police, she was surrounded by the accused on Thursday evening, who also threatened her with dire consequences if she refused to talk to them over phone at night. They had also allegedly given her a phone. After she reached home and told her father about the incident, the latter met the parents of one of the youths. Later that night, however, the girl’s tormentors forcefully entered her house and assaulted her. They had also attacked her father. Deeply disturbed by the incident, the teenager poured kerosene and set herself on fire the following morning.Superintendent of police (SP), rural, Rajesh Kumar, said, “We have booked six youths - Rajwat Bagdi, Devender Kumar, Rohit Saini, Gajraj Saini, Aman and Deepak –under IPC sections 147 (rioting), 148 (rioting armed with deadly weapon), 452 (house trespass after preparation for hurt), 323 (voluntary causing hurt), 304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder), 504 (insult with intent to provoke breach of peace, 506 (criminal intimidation) and relevant sections of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. All culprits are absconding.”

Stay updated with all the Meerut Latest News headlines here. For more exclusive & live news updates from all around India, stay connected with NYOOOZ.