School teacher set afire in Odisha

A 36-year-old woman school teacher sustained severe burns after being set afire by a man in Odisha`s Rayagada district, police said on Monday.

Rayagada: A 36-year-old woman school teacher sustained severe burns after being set afire by a man in Odisha`s Rayagada district, police said on Monday.

Itishree Pradhan, who hails from Delang in Puri district and was working in an upper primary school at Tikiri, was set on fire by last night in the hostel, Inspector In-Charge of Tikiri police station SK Sai said.

The teacher, who was sent to Visakhapatnam for treatment with about 70 per cent burn, gave a statement that an the attacker knocked at the door of her hostel room and when she opened the door the unknown man poured kerosene on her and set fire.

While investigation is on, role of a sub-inspector of schools, Netrananda Dandasena, is being probed as the lady teacher had in July this year complained to her higher ups accusing him of outraging her modesty following which a police case had been filed, police said.

After making vain attempts to pressurise the woman to withdraw her complaint, Dandasena allegedly went missing about two months ago and efforts were on to trace him, Sai said.

Rayagada Collector SS Padhi said district inspector of schools DD Behera had been placed under suspension for improper handling of the complaint lodged by the lady teacher which could have led Dandasena to disappear and go into hiding.

Zee News App: Read latest news of India and world, bollywood news, business updates, cricket scores, etc. Download the Zee news app now to keep up with daily breaking news and live news event coverage.