Minor burnt to death on theft suspicion

A 12-year-old girl was burnt to death here allegedly by a woman in her neighbourhood on suspicion of theft following which the accused was arrested, police said today.
The victim, identified as Arti, succumbed to burn injuries today at Dr Bhim Rao Ambedkar Medical Hospital here, Raipur Superintendent of Police Sanjeev Shukla told PTI.
She was allegedly set ablaze last evening by Asha Jaiswal who resides in her neighbourhood, in Gondwara area under Khamtarai police station limits after the woman suspected the victim of theft, the SP said.
As per preliminary investigation, some articles were stolen from the house of Jaiswal in the past few days and she suspected that children in the locality were behind the thefts, he said.

Aarti and other children were playing 'Kancha' (marbles) in their localityyesterday.
Meanwhile, the victim went inside the house of Jaiswal in search of a 'kancha'during which the accused allegedly poured kerosene on her and locked the girl inside a room after setting heron fire, the SP said.

However, the accused later informed the girl's parents about the incident following which they took the girl out of the room and admitted her to the hospital, he said.
"The victim was admitted with 85 per cent burn injuries and died today during treatment," the SP added.
In her statement before death, the girl had claimed that Jaiswal had torched her, he said.

The woman has been booked under relevant sections of IPC, the SP said adding that a probe was on.