Preliminary investigation into the case of the 21-year-old youth setting his classmate ablaze in a lodge, near Suryabagh, revealed that the boy had indulged in the crime after being rejected by her.
According to the police, Harshavardhan, the accused, a resident of Bhupalpalle in Telangana and the girl from Visakhapatnam, were pursuing B.Tech., since 2017 and were classmates in a renowned university in Punjab. Since the outbreak of COVID-19, they were staying at home. The girl reportedly informed the police that Harshavardhan was just her friend. But he had been allegedly insisting on her to love him, she said. The accused youth, however, reportedly told the police that the girl was in a relationship with him. But now, she is rejecting him for various reasons, he said.
The youth had arrived Visakhapatnam on November 12 and checked into a lodge near Suryabagh. The girl reached the lodge the next morning. The same evening, the accused had allegedly poured petrol on her and on himself, and started the fire with a lighter. The duo opened the door and started running out. The lodge management immediately rushed them to the King George Hospital.
Police also learnt that Harshavardhan had checked into the same lodge on November 7, where the girl had gone to meet him.
According to the police, the girl had suffered around 60% burns, while the boy had suffered 65% burns. The duo are undergoing treatment and the condition of both of them is said to be stable.
Police are also yet to ascertain how the accused had managed to get loose petrol, when petrol bunks in the city were strictly instructed not to sell. The investigating officers suspecting that he must have brought it from his native place.
The Disha police are investigating the case. The CLUES team collected samples and sent them to the Forensic Science Laboratory for analysis.
