Ranaghat, Dec. 11: A class VIII girl died on Monday morning after she apparently set herself ablaze at her home being admonished by her mother for bathing in the rain on Saturday morning.
Deceased girl Pinki Mandal (13), who was a promising Kho-Kho player died at Kalyani’s Jawaharlal Nehru Memorial hospital after fighting for over 24 hours since she set her ablaze at home.
A student of Cooper’s Colony High School, Pinki was scheduled to appear in the inter district under-19 school tournament scheduled to begin from Friday and to represent later at an inter-state level tournament in next month.
Her father Gaanesh Mandal is a construction worker and presently working in Kuwait with a farm there.
According to family sources, on Saturday Pinki escaped school due to incessant rain. Later in the morning she visited a friend’s house in the area. She returned home being drenched in rain.
Chayan Mullick, a neighboring youth said: “Her mother was very conscious about her health as Pinki is a promising player. But, she became angry seeing her drenched in rain. Pinki, however, remained unperturbed and bathed in the rain water. This made her mother angry further, who admonished her for it. But, Pinki made no visible reaction until Sunday morning. A little after taking her breakfast, she set herself on fire when her mother was busy working outside”.
Police said, at about 10am Pinki, a resident of Ward-5 in Cooper’s camp reportedly doused herself in kerosene and set herself on fire at her home when. The neighbors rushed her to Ranaghat hospital, from where she was transferred to JNM Hospital in Kalyani.
JNM Hospital sources said that the girl suffered about 90% burn injuries with the lower abdomen burnt beyond recovery.
Her mother Sampa Mandal said: “Watching her drenched in rain I became afraid that she could fell ill before the tournament and so became little angry and told him to be serious about health. It was beyond my imagination that she could end her life for this”.
Prabir Pal, a teacher of Cooper’s Colony High school said: “She was very good player and an emotional girl. She lover the school so much that she always preferred to keep even her personal awards and trophies at school so that visitors respect the school”.