Lady school teacher set on fire, pays price for protesting sexual assault

OST Bureau
Rayagada, Oct 29:

In a shocking incident, a lady school teacher was set ablaze by an unidentified person inside a school hostel in Rayagada district on Sunday night.

The 36 year old victim, who hails from Kanas in Puri district has been rushed to a hospital in Visakhapatnam with 70 percent burn injuries, police said.

In her statement to the police, the lady teacher, working in an upper primary school at Tikiri, said an ‘unknown’ person came to her hostel room and set her on fire after pouring kerosene on her body.

According to the police, the victim had lodged a complaint against the sub-inspector of schools Netrananda Dandasena with the higher authorities in July this year, accusing him of outraging her modesty. A police case had been filed in this matter.

Soon after the complaint, Dandasena went missing for about two months and is still at large.

Meanwhile, Tikiri police said efforts are on to trace Dandasena.

When contacted, Rayagada collector SS Padhi said he has suspended the accused SI of schools Dandasena as well as the district inspector of schools DD Behera for improper handling of the complaint lodged by the lady teacher.

The inquiring officer of the local police station, an ASI has also been placed under suspension.