Young woman burnt alive allegedly by stalker in India

NEW DELHI, Dec. 22 (Xinhua) -- A young woman in southern Indian city of Hyderabad was burnt alive allegedly by her stalker, police said Friday.

The incident took place Thursday evening when she was returning home from her work.

"Last evening a 24-year-old woman Sandhya Rani died after suffering burn injuries here," a police official said. "She was burnt alive by one Sai Kartik, her former colleague."

Police have arrested Kartik. According to police Kartik was allegedly obsessed with Rani working as receptionist at a local company and had been stalking her.

"We were told last evening at around 6:45 (local time) Sai Kartik followed her on a motorbike and stopped to speak to her. The duo had an argument after which Kartik pulled out a bottle of kerosene hidden in his shirt and poured on her besides throwing a burning match stick one her," a police official said.

The screaming of young woman in flames on the road attracted passersby, who rushed to save her.

"By the time they doused flames and brought her to hospital, Sandhya Rani had suffered more than 60 percent burns," the police official said. "She breathed her last in hospital this morning after giving a dying declaration to the police."

The woman reportedly told police Kartik was enraged, for she refused to marry him.

Police said Kartik worked in Sandhya's firm two years ago and had allegedly been stalking her since then.

Last month a young woman was burnt alive by her stalker in neighbouring state of Tamil Nadu. The victim's mother and sister also suffered burn injuries while trying to save her.

Sexual attacks on women and girls in India puts a question mark on their safety and efficiency of police force in the country. Enditem