Twist in Odisha burns case: 'My daughter took her life as she was distressed,' says father

The Odisha Police have now claimed that no person was involved in the burning of a 15-year-old girl, who succumbed to her injuries on Saturday evening, even though the victim's mother had alleged that three miscreants set her on fire near their house in Puri district on July 19.

In a turn of events, the girl's father in a video, has said, "I want to say that the government has done whatever was possible for my daughter. She is no more. She took her life as she was under mental pressure. Thus, I request everyone not to politicise the matter and pray for her soul."

The girl was undergoing treatment at AIIMS-Delhi. She was earlier airlifted from Bhubaneswar to the national capital for better treatment.

Meanwhile, an uneasy calm prevailed in Bayabar village in Odisha's Puri on Sunday, with most of the villagers staying indoors.

Police personnel are standing guard near the deceased girl's house under the Balanaga police station limit, as most of the family members of the girl have probably left for Delhi, where the postmortem examination of the body will be carried out.

"We are keeping a watch on the village and the movement of the people. Everything is cool and peaceful. People are not coming out of their houses," a policeman supervising the burial digging told local news channels.

Dukhishyam Senapati, the villager, who first doused fire on the body of the girl, also kept his doors shut and did not speak to any mediaperson. He was the man who helped the girl when she cried for help on the morning of July 19.

The police have recorded the statement of the victim three times during the last 15 days. The police claimed that it had undertaken the investigation with all sincerity and found that no one was involved in the incident. However, Odisha police are yet to make it clear how the girl "caught" fire. Police have also requested everyone not to make any sensitive comments related to this incident.

Odisha Police, in a post on X, said, "We are deeply saddened to hear the news of the death of the victim girl in the Balanga incident. The police have conducted the investigation with utmost sincerity. The investigation has reached its final stage. According to the investigation conducted so far, it is clear that no other person is involved. Therefore, we request everyone not to make any sensitive comments regarding this matter during this tragic moment."

As preparations are going on at Balanaga area for the last rites of the girl, the police have also tightened security in the state capital and sealed roads near chief minister Mohan Majhi's residence and deployed additional forces near all ministers' residence.

The girl's mother, in her FIR at Balanga police station on July 19, had alleged that her daughter was abducted by three people who poured an inflammable substance on her and set her on fire.

After registration of the case, senior police officers visited the spot. Scientific teams and dog squads were deployed for the collection of evidence. A special investigation team has been constituted to investigate the case, according to the police.