Youth held for bid to burn girl

TT, Alipurduar, Oct. 20: Police have arrested the youth who was accused yesterday of first trying to rape a schoolgirl and then set her ablaze.

The accused, whom police have identified as Dipak Sardar, will be produced in the court of the additional chief judicial magistrate in Alipurduar tomorrow.

Avaru Ravindranath, the SP of Alipurduar, said: "This afternoon our officers arrested him. Tomorrow, he will be produced in court."

The inspector in charge of Falakata police, Binod Gajmir, said late yesterday evening the police found out Dipak had taken shelter in a village in Mainaguri. He managed to give the slip to the police once but was arrested soon after.

The girl has suffered 70 per cent burns. Her mother said yesterday: "Around 3am, the youth who was in a relationship with my daughter and stayed nearby called my daughter out of the house. He said he had to tell her something important. We were sleeping and my daughter went out to meet him. The youth tried to rape my daughter and when she resisted, he tied her legs, hands and mouth and poured kerosene on her and set her on fire."

Anil Adhikary, the MLA of Falakata, along with officials went to a hospital to meet the girl who is in a critical condition. When Adhikary spoke to the hospital authorities, they suggested the girl should be taken to North Bengal Medical College and Hospital in Siliguri as early as possible.

Adhikary said: "According to the advice by the hospital, I sent the girl to NBMCH and I will make arrangements for her treatment so that the family doesn't face problems."