The 15-year-old girl, who was undergoing treatment at AIIMS Delhi after she was allegedly set on fire by miscreants in Balanga area of Odisha’s Puri district on June 19, passed away on Saturday, August 2. The girl had sustained 75 per cent burn injuries.
Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi expressed his condolences.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), the Odisha CM wrote, “I am deeply shocked to hear the news of the death of the girl victim in the Balangir incident. Despite all the efforts of the government and the round-the-clock endeavours of the specialist medical team at AIIMS Delhi, her life could not be saved. I pray for the eternal peace of the girl’s soul and beseech God to grant strength to her family to bear this irreparable loss.”
ବଳଙ୍ଗା ଘଟଣାରେ ପୀଡ଼ିତା ଝିଅଟିର ମୃତ୍ୟୁ ଖବର ଶୁଣି ମୁଁ ଗଭୀର ଭାବେ ମର୍ମାହତ। ସରକାରଙ୍କ ସମସ୍ତ ପ୍ରୟାସ ଏବଂ ଏମ୍ସ ଦିଲ୍ଲୀରେ ବିଶେଷଜ୍ଞ ଡାକ୍ତରୀ ଦଳଙ୍କ ଅହୋରାତ୍ର ଚେଷ୍ଟା ସତ୍ତ୍ୱେ ତାଙ୍କ ଜୀବନ ରକ୍ଷା କରାଯାଇ ପାରିଲା ନାହିଁ।
ମୁଁ ଝିଅଟିର ଅମର ଆତ୍ମାର ସଦଗତି କାମନା କରୁଛି ଏବଂ ଏହି ଅପୂରଣୀୟ କ୍ଷତିକୁ ସହିବା ପାଇଁ ତାଙ୍କ…
— Mohan Charan Majhi (@MohanMOdisha) August 2, 2025
Reacting to the passing away of the minor girl, Odisha Deputy Chief Minister Pravati Parida called it an “unexpected and unfortunate.”
“Following an unexpected and unfortunate incident, the victim from Balangir, who was under treatment at Delhi AIIMS, has passed away. While praying for the eternal peace of the departed soul, I express my condolences to her family in this sorrowful situation. Despite all efforts by the medical team and the government, we are deeply saddened that she could not be saved,” said Parida in a post on X.
Meanwhile, Odisha police, in a post on X, claimed that no other person was involved in the incident, even though the victim’s mother in her FIR had alleged that three unknown miscreants had set her daughter on fire and urged not to make any “sensitive comments” regarding the incident during this tragic moment, as the investigation has reached its final stage.
Odisha Police 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.”
“As to the investigation conducted so far, it is clear that no other person is involved. Therefore, we request that everyone not to make any sensitive comments regarding this matter during this tragic moment,” the Odisha Police added in the post.
ବଳଙ୍ଗା ଘଟଣାରେ ପୀଡିତା ଝିଅଙ୍କ ମୃତ୍ୟୁ ଖବର ଶୁଣି ଆମେ ଅତ୍ୟନ୍ତ ଦୁଃଖିତ । ଏହି ଘଟଣାରେ ପୋଲିସ ପକ୍ଷରୁ ତଦନ୍ତ ନିଷ୍ଠାର ସହ କରାଯାଇଛି। ତଦନ୍ତ ଶେଷ ପର୍ଯ୍ୟାୟରେ ପହଞ୍ଚି ସାରିଛି। ବର୍ତ୍ତମାନ ପର୍ଯ୍ୟନ୍ତ ହୋଇଥିବା ତଦନ୍ତ ଅନୁଯାୟୀ ଏହି ଘଟଣାରେ ଅନ୍ୟ କୌଣସି ବ୍ୟକ୍ତିଙ୍କ ସମ୍ପୃକ୍ତି ନ ଥିବା ସ୍ପଷ୍ଟ ହୋଇଛି। ଏଣୁ ସମସ୍ତଙ୍କୁ ଅନୁରୋଧ…
— Odisha Police (@odisha_police) August 2, 2025
According to the police, the minor girl went out with her friends, but she was allegedly abducted midway and taken to the riverside, where she was set on fire. The victim reached someone’s house from the incident spot, after which she was taken to the hospital by her cousin.
The girl’s mother in her FIR at Balanga Police station on July 19 alleged that her daughter was abducted by three people who poured an inflammable substance on her and set her on fire.
Following the registration of the case, senior police officers have visited the spot. Scientific team and dog squad services were also engaged at the spot for collection of evidence. Special Investigation Team has been constituted to investigate the case, according to the police.
Meanwhile, police have tightened security near the CM, Deputy CMs and other ministers’ residences in Bhubaneswar.
Former Odisha Chief Minister and BJD supremo, Naveen Patnaik, in a post on X, said, “Deeply saddened and anguished to know that the young girl set on fire in #Balanga area of #Puri District passed away while undergoing treatment in AIIMS. My condolences for the young girl and prayers are with the family members in the hour grief. May God give the family members strength to bear this irreparable loss.”
