College teacher set afire by stalker in Maharashtra, battles for life

A 25-year-old school teacher is battling for her life after she was set afire allegedly by her stalker in Maharashtra’s Wardha district on Monday (February 3) morning. The victim, a 25-year-old resident of Daroda village, used to be a friend of the accused but had severed ties with him two years back, police said. The accused has been arrested.

The 25-year-old victim suffered 40 per cent burns and inhalation injuries and has been admitted to a hospital in Nagpur where she is battling for life, police said. The incident took place around 7.15 am when the woman alighted from a state transport bus in Hingnaghat town of Wardha to get to the college.

The accused, Vikesh Nagrale, reportedly doused the woman with petrol that he took out from his two-wheeler, and set her ablaze before running away from the spot, Hingnaghat police station inspector Satyaveer Bandiwar said. He said some passers-by poured water on her and rushed her to a nearby primary health centre.

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“From there, she was shifted to Orange City Hospital in Nagpur,” the officer said. The hospital authorities later released a bulletin, stating that the woman suffered “grade II deep dermal burns covering scalp, face, right upper limb, left hand, upper back, full neck with approximation of 40 per cent burns with inhalation injuries affecting respiratory system also.”

Nagrale, who fled the scene of crime, was nabbed from Takalghat village and charged under IPC sections 307 and 326, Wardha Superintendent of Police Basavaraj Teli said. The accused was a friend of the victim till two years ago, but she broke ties with him due to his “irrational behaviour”, Bandiwar said.

“Nagrale, a resident of the same village, is a married man and has a seven-month-old son. He works at a firm in Balharshah. He used to stalk the woman. He had even tried to commit suicide last year, though no complaint was lodged at that time,” the officer said.

(With inputs from agencies)

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