Visakhapatnam: Spurned lover torches girlfriend after she rejects proposal; tries to immolate self

A jilted lover torched his girlfriend and later tried to immolate himself in a private lodge at Visakhapatnam on Saturday evening.

Both were admitted into KGH with burn injuries.

Identified as Harshvardhan and his classmate Pratyusha, they were studying together at Lovely Professional University Punjab from 2017 to 2021.

Since the Covid pandemic, they were at their home. The boy is from Bhupalpalle, Telangana, while the girl is from Visakhapatnam.

On November 12, the boy checked into the lodge and the next day called Pratyusha to allegedly discuss their affair.

Harshavardhan proposed to Pratyusha who rejected at the drop of the hat. In a fit of anger, he doused petrol on her and set her aflame. He later tried to immolate himself.

Lodge employees immediately rushed them to KGH. Police said the girl sustained second-degree burns and has been admitted to the hospital. Police said she sustained 60 percent and the boy 65 percent burns. The boy suffered superficial burns and has been admitted to the general ward.

Police said their condition was stable and recovering. Two Town police in Visakhapatnam registered a case under sections 354 A, 354 D, 307 of IPC on the complaint of the girl's father. Another FIR filed under section 309 of IPC is based on the boy's statement.

Police have recorded the statement of both.