Girl, 15, fights for life after being raped and set on fire

A 15-year-old girl is fighting for her life in a New Delhi hospital after being raped and set on fire on the rooftop terrace of her family’s home in a village outside the city, Indian police have said.

The attack is just one of several recently reported cases of rape against women or children in India, underlining the persistence of such violence despite a public outcry three years ago that led to stronger laws to prevent sexual assault.

In the latest case, police arrested a 20-year-old man for allegedly raping and attempting to burn the girl to death in Tigri village, near the New Delhi suburb of Noida in the state of Uttar Pradesh, on Monday, according to constable Yadram Singh of Bisrakh police station. Mr Singh said the man “had severe burns on his hands” and has been charged with several offences, including rape, attempted murder, assault of a minor, and causing grievous injury.