Having struggled for life for 12 days, a teenage gang-rape victim in India's most populous state of Uttar Pradesh succumbed to her burn injuries on Monday.
According to police, two men, 19 and 25 years old respectively, assualted the girl before pouring diesel and setting her on fire. The girl, who belonged to the Dailt communit -- the bottom of the caste ladder in India -- was taken to hospital with 80 percent burn injuries.
The victim's father said that his daughter was alone at home when the incident took place.
The crime came to light days after when another two teenage Dalit sisters were found hanging from a tree in the Lakhimpur district of the state in what is believed to be a set-up suicide.
Reacting to the incident, former state chief and SP chief Akhilesh Yadav earlier tweeted:" In the Yogi government, goons are harassing mothers and sisters every day, very shameful. The government should get the matter investigated, the culprits should get the harshest punishment."
Another former state chief of Uttar Pradesh and Bahujan Samaj Party head Mayawati said that criminals and goons have no fear because the state government's "priorities are wrong".