Odisha Deputy CM Urges Against Politicising Balanga Burn Victim Case

Speaking to reporters, Singh Deo said the state government had extended all possible assistance to the victim from the very beginning. “We ensured she received the best available treatment, including her transfer to AIIMS Delhi. Unfortunately, despite doctors’ best efforts, her condition was too critical due to the extent of burn injuries,” he stated.

The Deputy CM emphasised that the victim’s father himself had acknowledged the government’s support and requested that the matter not be dragged into political controversy. “The father has clearly said the government has done everything it could, and he is satisfied with the help extended. Under such circumstances, the intervention of any third party is both unwarranted and unfortunate,” Singh Deo remarked.

The teenager sustained over 70% burn injuries on July 19 after being allegedly set on fire near the banks of the Bhargavi River in Puri. She was initially treated at a local hospital and then airlifted to AIIMS Bhubaneswar before being shifted to AIIMS Delhi. Despite undergoing skin grafting and intensive care, she passed away on August 2.

The incident has left the village in deep mourning, with police maintaining a security presence as preparations are made for her traditional burial. Meanwhile, the Odisha Police have maintained that their investigation so far has found no evidence of the involvement of any other person in the incident, contradicting the FIR filed by the victim’s mother, which alleged abduction and attempted murder by three unidentified men.

The case continues to draw state-wide attention, with political leaders, civil society, and rights activists calling for a transparent investigation while the bereaved family has requested privacy and prayers for the departed soul.