Teenager dies after being raped and set on fire

Portia Arthur

March 10, 2016 9:56 AM

Police have arrested the accused person and the investigation is ongoing

Teenager dies after being raped and set on fire

A 16-year-old Indian girl has died after being sexually harassed and set on fire on the roof terrace of her family’s home, Indian police have said.

The teenager sustained more than 90 percent burns over her body in Monday's attack and died in hospital early Wednesday, the investigating officer told AFP.

According to the Indian police, the investigation is ongoing and the accused, a 19-year-old, has being arrested.

The accused has been charged with a slew of offences including rape and murder.

"The body has been sent for postmortem. We are waiting for the report,", a police officer told AFP.

Media reports quoted the girl's father as saying the suspect lived nearby in their village in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh and that he had been harassing his daughter for a year despite several warnings.

Women's rights activists accuse police of often overlooking complaints of stalking, which they say only emboldens the perpetrators.

Portia Arthur