Unable to bear constant eve-teasing and the humiliation of her father in a Salishi Sabha, a 13-year-old girl committed suicide by setting herself ablaze. She was a student of Class 8 of Rambandh Adarsh Vidyalaya in Burnpur in Asansol.
According to an FIR lodged by her father Manoj Prasad, the deceased was harassed by some youth while she was returning home at Shyambandh from school. When her father wanted to lodge a police complaint, the local people put pressure on him to resolve the issue in a Salishi Sabha. The reconciliation meetings were held on two consecutive days — Saturday and Sunday — but the matter remained unresolved. Instead of repenting, the groups of youth which the girl had accused of harassment, heckled and humiliated both the father-daughter duo in the meeting. Unable to bear the shame, the girl immolated herself on Monday, She was admitted to the ISP Hospital with 80 per cent burns. She succumbed to her injuries on Tuesday. Her father lodged an FIR against nine youth at Hirapur police station. The police has arrested four. However, the accused claimed that the girl was in love with one of their friend which her father had objected to. He had scolded both the boy and his daughter.