An 18-year-old woman, who was undergoing treatment at New Delhi’s Safdarjung Hospital after allegedly being set on fire by her stalker for rejecting his romantic advances, succumbed to her injuries on Sunday, 23 December, officials said.
"The woman had suffered around 77 percent burns and was brought to the hospital in a very critical condition. Most of the injuries were on her face and lungs. She died at around 10 am," doctors said.
According to sources, the deceased’s mother suffered a heart attack after her daughter died and was admitted to the same hospital.
The 31-year-old accused in the case is a taxi driver. He had attacked the woman when she was returning from college on 16 December in Rishikesh, officials said.
The woman was admitted to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Rishikesh on Monday with 70 to 80 percent burns.
She was flown to Delhi in an air ambulance on Wednesday and admitted to the burn ward at Safdarjung Hospital, officials said.
The man had been stalking her after she had rebuffed his advances, police said.
“The accused poured petrol on the woman and set her ablaze. After hearing her cries for help, locals rushed to the spot and took her to the hospital,” police said.
Angry students of the woman's university have demanded capital punishment for the accused, who was arrested on the same day the crime was committed.
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